To Con a Conman
by Lady Chickaroo
Summary: "What, you following me now?"She huffed. "I lost out on a lot thanks to you Chère,Jus' curious to how you did it,"."Chère ain't my name!"she spat."Care to fill me in?" His grin pulled up into more of an arrogant shade rather than it's cocky one. GAMBIT/OC
1. Chapter 1

i fell in love all over again...what can i say =]

soooo i don't own anything part from my OC's and the storyline really =]...

...

To con a conman

1: Now how'd dat happen?

The large room contrasted in various ways as odd activities and atmospheres seemed to clash against each other, the movement didn't match the noise, the workers to the customers and the lighting to the game. All of it a smeared collage of various, activities, of various bars and of various people.

Pushing her raven brown fringe from her right eye with a small blink as the over grown strands tangled at her mascara enhanced eyelashes, the youthful woman swept her brown eyes over the darken, smoke fogged room, squinting as her eyes struggled to adjust to the distance of a few tables. Odd spotlights dangled around the room, lighting a few velvet topped playing tables, but even the directed light made the game shaded and dark.

A small grunt of irritation jumped up her throat as a burly character pushed by, eager to head away from the few, money draining tables. With a shake of her head she turned her attention back to the room, the odd girlish shriek from a pleased flirting whore and chuckle of lusting men, happy to lose money mixed into a dull murmur with the various banter, the lifeless, dirty noise almost stabbing at her ear drums.

"He's at the main table," A small voice popped up, causing the young woman to turn and take in the slender, petit girl next to her.

"Ok," She nodded in a soft voice before turning away from the small blonde, weaving threw the randomly placed groups of bodies, her eyes trained on the lonesome table sat centrefold, it's hanging spot light the largest, it's playing top soaking up the various light from surrounding tables as well as it's own in a greedy need to fulfil it's darkness.

"I'm out," A defeated male huffed as she passed by, watching as he flopped his card down to sit with the rest, dropping his arms to the table before picking up his alcoholic beverage and downing the contence.

Raising a slender brow she watched as his head tipped back with the drink but his eyes sat firmly on the player reclined at the far end of the table.

Shaking her head she pressed on, curving around the table before stopping at the only man with out a poker face.

"Dan," She whispered with an urgency at the man sat slouched over the table with his head in his hands staring down at the cards dealt to him with an almost whimpering shake.

"Dan!" She tried again, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving a shake.

With a slow effort the man lifted his head, deep bags lay under his eyes, his eyelids drooping down over his blood shot eyes.

"I'm almost done! I can do this," He waved away with a light slur, his short, sandy hair sticking up in odd tufts.

"Lu!" The familiar small voice popped up as the petite blonde bounced up, her young face brimming with a small worry.

The young woman threw a look to the girl, before letting her brown eyes flash behind her and towards the towering man in black that followed after her, his wide form was broad and fridge like, intimidating to most people.

"Dan for the love of god just fold! You have no chance!" She barked impatiently giving the man another shake before scanning the faces of the players, slowly gaining interest in the group.

"Alright girls! I don't care how you slipped in, out now!" The bouncer's voice was low and almost held a bass to it.

"Just one minute," Lu held a finger up as her face took on an innocent pleading look.

"Dan, seriously!" She hissed turning back to the man at the table.

"No, all I need is an ace," He grumbled to her, causing her to frown lightly and lean in to hear him.

"Move now or I'll drag you out!" The barked order made her jump, her face becoming helpless.

"Hurry up! We're waiting on your move," Another player groaned as he tapped his fingers against the table.

"All in!" Dan instantly blurted, pushing his savings into the centre haphazardly, causing the young woman and slender girl to cringe.

"I fold," The impatient man groaned, flicking his card down.

All eyes turned to the only player left, the one man sat reclined at the end of the table, a coin weaving between his finger's idly as his head stayed slightly bowed towards the cards, the hat he wore shading his face, the swaying light from the adjacent table only illuminating the right side of his jaw, in a steady beat before drifting back into shadow, but even with out the light, the small, cocky smirk could still be seen.

If felt like time had slowed as this man seemed to take his time to asses the activities, seemed that is, the cocky smirk quickly turned into an arrogant grin as he simply threw the coin down into the middle of the table.

He had the game; he knew it, his last opponent, Dan, knew it, as did all the other players and the odd woman stood off to the side.

With a shake of her head she furiously gripped the man she came for as the bouncer took a grip of the young blonde.

"Move!" She barked, throwing him towards the fridge like man.

"Hey the game isn't over missy!" One of the eager players called out, wanting to see the outcome of the game.

With a frown Lu stared down at the hidden card, it's colour and suit unknown, all she knew was an Ace was needed, and as she stood there, picturing that Ace that needed to hide there, she threw her eyes up at the men around the table.

"Fine, lets see who won!" She spat in irritation as she glared across at the last gambler and griped the card, her teeth clenching in dread as she planned on flipping the card and walking away, she didn't need to see the losing card.

On a silent count both cards where flipped as she instantly turned her back, chills quickly following as the eerie lack of sound and sudden amount of eyes fell over her.

She cast a clueless look as her friend, Dan, his gawping expression throwing the confusion harder at her as she turned with curiosity to take in the card she had flipped.

There it laid, a perfect Ace of spades.

A winning hand.

"You need some serious help!" Lu shouted as she snatched the winnings from the visibly exhausted man, her breath coming out in heated wisps as it met the cold British air.

"I won didn't I!" He yelled back.

"So! You wouldn't have to keep trying to win yourself out of debt if you just quit! Get a job like a normal person! This is the last time I'm gunnu drag your sorry ass outta some dingy, seedy little gamblers club!" With a loud groan she threw the bag back into his chest, as he scowled at her.

"Hey, if your lucky, you might be able to catch your wife and kids before they leave you tonight!" With that said she turned on her heels and strode off, the petite blonde falling after her.

"You don't think that was harsh?" She questioned softly.

"He's my idiot half brother, I can be as harsh as I want!" The brunette spat.

"True…so, how did you do it?" The blonde questioned.

"Do what?"

"Change the card? The card was defiantly not an Ace, I saw it in Dan's head,"

"What are you getting at Anne?" She instantly huffed, stopping her short walk tired and annoyed as she turned to her friend with a bored look.

"Come on Lucy, I won't judge, after all, you know all about me," She smiled with a shrug.

"What ever, the card was an Ace, let's just leave it at that," Lu sighed as she pushed a hand threw her soft, layered locks.

The Ace of spades, it sat clear as day on the card he held between his fingers, no matter how many times he turned it over, the card was still the same and it was wrong. Only one person was supposed to win this game that person being himself, it was played out perfectly, set up perfectly, everything fixed, the other Aces where hidden. So how did it slip away?

The thought of how the Ace he held came to live baffled him, a conman, robbed of his game.

He knew it wasn't right, and it defiantly wasn't a trick of the hand, that card never left the table, and that girl had no idea, so how had she done it.

With a shake of his head and small smirk on his lips, he sat forwards, curling his hand around the cane like staff resting against the table and stood, his eyes staring down at the four Ace's laid out, all belonging to the deck that was played. Lifting his hand his eyes drifted to the fifth Ace, the one the girl played, the one that didn't belong.

"Now how'd dat happen?" He mumbled with a small grin.

"I reckon there is something about you," Anne grinned, jabbing a finger towards her dark haired friend who sat herself down in the snug armchair.

"Well I don't, my life has been completely normal and nothing weird has ever happened, I'm a class A, standard, bored stupid human … nothing special," She shook her head as she leaned forwards, carefully picking up the cup of tea from the small table in front of her and sitting back into her chair.

"No, perhaps you have the power of illusion," The blonde brimmed as she waved her hands to create affect.

"Or maybe I have the power to make what ever the hell I please," She shrugged.

"That would be awesome," The petite character laughed.

"Oh shut up now, seriously," Lucy shook her head with a small smile as her friend quieted.

"Can't we just accept the card was luckily an Ace, I was surprised as hell the way it turned out but thankful," She again shrugged before taking a careful sip of her tea.

... kk soooo first bit was a lil short but it's just like a lil intro more than anything ^^

=]


	2. Chapter 2

Ok... so i did some homework on Gambit's speech... seeing as i haven't watched the cartoon in like years and in the movie he's not much of a talker so i've been threw how he is in the comics and toons and basically used his speach pattern from that, but i don't think i'll use his third person quite as much... it will pop up thou... just not in every sentence... i was watching a few clips on youtube...and it started to get annoying when it was Gambit this, Gambit that... I, me, my is good too so i'll use them XD

2: Guesswork

Lifting the chilled glass to her lips Lucy peered down at the ice cubes floating in her drink, an irritated look pulling at her brows as she huffed.

"I did say no ice, but oh well," She sighed before taking a sip, the frozen cubes pressing against her lips and freezing the already chilled drink to an uncomfortable temperature as it passed her front row of teeth.

Setting the drink back down on the quickly wiped but otherwise sticky table she ran her tongue over her teeth to warm them up as a painful shiver shot from the roots of her teeth.

"So what are you having?" A short raven-haired woman chirped, her skin a lovely tan and eyes the darkest brown.

"The usual, cheese… I don't like tidily bits on my pizza, its too much fuss," The brunette shrugged as all attention turned to the two blondes sat at the table. Anne was one of them with her short clipped hair, while the second blonde had long flowing locks in a slight crinkle from where her had had previously been plaited.

"Kim, you having pepperoni too?" Anne perked as she closed the Pizza hut menu and gazed across at her friend.

"Yup, what you having Sarah?" Kim turned to the short raven-haired woman.

"Chicken probably," She simply shrugged with disinterest.

It wasn't long before the orders where taken and a light banter of various subjects sparked up, the four girls chatting happily till their food arrived.

The small restaurant was at it's peak being it was lunch hours, meaning all the small, tightly compact tables where full to the rim, the whole place alive with various conversations and clanking of cutlery.

Lucy swept a bored look around, the lack of anything out of the ordinary was boring to her, every day people with everyday lives, just like her.

With a sigh she turned to look at her food before livening up as she scanned the table, her eyes in search of the shaker holding chilli flakes, it was not on the table but instead in Anne's hand as she furiously shook it over her pizza, the small flakes difficult to shift threw the small holes.

Raising a slow brow Lucy watched, almost expectantly as she eyed the vigorous shaking, a small smile curving at her lips as she could literally see the top falling loose, picturing it all in her head. It was only an all too common thing to happen.

"That's gunnu…" she trailed off as the silver screw on top popped away from the jar and thudded against the top of the pepperoni pizza, the majority of the chilli flakes held in the jar spilling out. With a loud surprised gasp Anne jerked her hand to turn the shaker up right, stopping the downpour on her already flooded pizza and flicking a few flakes at the other occupants of the table.

Silence filled the table as all eyes drifted to the pixie looking girl and her food.

"…Fall off," Lucy finally finished as she snorted out a short laugh, quickly slapping a hand over her nose and mouth to muffle her sudden outburst of hysterics, the rest of the table instantly joining in till tears stung at their eyes.

"I know you did that," Anne mumbled as she dug her hands into the pockets of her brown jacket.

"Did what?" Lucy questioned as she looked up from her phone to take in her younger friend leaning against the side of the bus shelter.

"Made the chilli flakes cover my pizza," The look on her face was almost thunderous, but after almost having her mouth set alight with the spices and everyone still laughing, it seemed only natural.

"How the hell could I manage that? You where the first one to grab it!" The brunette laughed with a shake of her head.

"With your mind…" Anne left open as she stared across at her gaping friend.

"Ok, no, the stupid kids that where at that table before us most likely loosened the lid, I've had it before, I've done it before, you should always check the top," Lu shook her head before going back to her phone, taking the long silence as a win in the argument.

"…I did check the top," Anne perked up after a minute.

"What?" Lucy frowned, this time putting her phone away.

"I checked the top, it was screwed on good and tight…" At that she left open, staring across at her friend with raised brows.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't shake the thing so hard next time," She finally shrugged off, turning her attention to the approaching bus.

"Hey… isn't he that guy?" her tone and all round subject suddenly changed.

"What?" Lucy frowned, as she turned her head to look in the same direction Anne was staring off too.

"What guy?"

"The guy with the hat, wasn't he at that club?" The blonde dropped her voice down as Lu turned her head to look across the road, peering only from the corner of her eye to watch the approaching man.

"The hell should I know, there where loads of guys there," She shrugged, shooting her friend a quick look.

"Yer, but he was at the same table wasn't he?" Her curious eyes lingered on Lu, watching, as she did nothing but shrug, turning her attention back to the vehicles passing before sticking her arm out to signal for the bus.

She couldn't see the man properly from where she stood and the quick look she did cast wasn't enough to get anything big, all she saw was a tall man with a hat and long jacket, how uncommon is that after all?

Ripping the ticket off and mumbling a thank you to the driver, Lucy followed after Anne who stood by two empty seats.

"You jump in first, my stop is before yours," The blonde stated simply, as Lu sat next to the window without a word, shuffling slightly as her friend threw herself down next.

"Ugh I hate Sixth form," Anne voiced.

"Well I hate working," Lu joined in.

"It's better than learning,"

"Not when you do shit hours and the work screws up your pay all the time," With a huff the brunette slumped in her seat, and turned to look out the window before she received a slap to her arm.

With a light frown she turned to her friend who was gawping towards the front of the bus and out of pure curiosity she turned to see what the fuss was and there he stood. As confident as that night at the playing table, he stood near the front of the bus, leaning back against one of the bag areas, one foot crossed in front of the other despite the disadvantage this would have on anyone else's balance, for him, he was unaffected. Again with his head bowed and hat shading his eyes it was the distinguishing smirk curled on his lips that gave him away as the same man.

"Don't stare," Lu mumbled as she nudged her friend and turned back to the window.

"I have to get off in like two stops, you gunnu be alright?" Anne muttered as she finally tore her eyes away from the man.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She frowned at her friend.

"Well you made him lose the game, maybe he wants even," She shrugged.

"Oh shut up, I didn't do anything, plus London is hardly a quiet area, I think I'll be fine," Lu shook her head as a small smile pulled at her lips.

"Right, I'll see you later," Anne mumbled as she stood.

"Alright bye," Lucy lifted a hand in a lazy wave as her friend exited the bus, almost laughing as she watched the small girl pass by the odd gambler with wide staring eyes.

Drabbling threw a few texts she wasted the minutes away before a card flitted into view.

With a hard blink she reeled her head back and stared shortly at the Ace of spades before flicking her light brown eyes up to the person occupying the seat in front. He sat with his back slumped against the window and legs probed up on the second seat, one laying out strait where his foot hung out in the isle of the bus while the other was probed up, bent at the knee.

"I believe you left dis," He stated in an almost deep purr, his accent odd to anything she's used to hearing.

"I don't play cards," Lu shook her head before giving a simple shrug as she slipped her phone away into her bag.

"Now why do I find dat hard to believe?" That smirk tugged up at his lips.

"Well, you don't know me so…" She paused with a shrug.

"I guess you'll just have to take my word, the only card game I can play is trumps…really" she was telling the truth but she didn't expect him to believe her and she didn't really care all that much, as long as he didn't try and start anything she'd be fine.

"Dat may be so, but dis is the card you played," she watched as he finally raised his eyes to hers and they where as cocky as the grin he wore.

"Doesn't mean it's mine," She shrugged again.

"Well now, seein' as it doesn' belong to the deck played dat night I only guessed you slipped it in,"

"I didn't cheat if that's what you're getting at, I just turned it over and that was the card," Lu defended quickly, before harshly pressing the stop button and standing from her seat.

With a frown due to lack of movement, she opted for kicking past the man's leg as she weaved her way to the front of the bus as it bustled towards her stop, braking as it neared, causing the unprepared Lucy to stumble forwards, her hand reaching out to grab one of the brightly painted poles but her fingers barely brushed it as she feared the embarrassment of falling over on a bus full of people, once was enough, she was luckily caught in a vice of a grip, the arm around her waist pulled her steady and upright, the chest of the savour also helping, being like a firm wall as she was held into it.

"No need for you to be fallin for me Chère,"

Her body remained tense and frozen even after the bus had stopped and it's doors had opened, the man holding her made no effort to remove his arm and she was unsure if she was able to move.

"In your own time, don' want to miss your stop," He mocked quietly, jolting her into an instant movement as she slapped his hand off and strode off the bus with her head held high.

Now what to dooooooooooo


	3. Chapter 3

AAAAAANNNNNDDDDDD i'm back... again with the using of the way Gambit talks in the comics, coz it sound cute just with out the third person..yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay tee hee

3: Hints and Tips

"What, you following me now?" She huffed turning to shoot him a frown.

"I lost out on a lot thanks to you Chère," He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Jus' curious to how you did it,"

"Chère ain't my name!" she spat in discomfort.

"Care to fill me in?" His grin pulled up into more of an arrogant shade rather than it's so far cocky one, instantly causing the young brunette to quicken her strides.

"Well sorry you lost out, but you gotta play the hand your dealt," Lu called back

"Wise words, but dat Ace wasn't dealt, so jus' how'd you managed to get it, _Chère_?" The gambler questioned, putting more emphasis on the unfamiliar and unwanted pet name.

"I don't know _Perdant_, pure luck perhaps?" She wheeled around on her heels to face him, flicking her brow up after throwing in her own French pet name, just for him.

A small chuckle lifted his chest lightly as he threw his green hazel eyes down, one corner of his lips lifting up a notch higher.

"Let's start over, shall we?" He flicked his eyes back up as his tone became soft and encouraging.

"Gambit, but for you it's Remy Lebeau," the gambler winked as he held his hand out for her to take, his eyes connecting with her own soft shaded eyes.

"…Lucy," She finally replied, slowly taking his hand in an obvious untrusting manor, almost as though his hand was a snake poised to strike.

"Beau Lucy," He bowed his head slowly, lifting her hand to his lips and leaving a soft kiss.

"Umm, ok… Mr. Lebeau…" She trailed awkwardly, breaking the eye contact and quickly turning her head, unsure on where to look, handshakes she could handle… a kiss on the hand… to her it wasn't normal and she was unsure how to act.

"Aw _Chéri_, no need for formalities," He grinned slyly.

"Say's you, kissing my hand as a greeting," She shot back.

"And you know my name now," She pulled her hand back out of his gentle grip.

"So the French _Dear_,_ Darling_,_ Cherished_ whatever can stop,"

"If you shed some light on the Ace trick," Remy countered, his arrogant grin returning.

With a scoff Lucy turned on her heels and continued with her walk, causing the odd talking man to jump into action, quickly following after her.

"Belle, you actin' like you 'ave somethin' to hide," He voiced his observation as he fell into step next to her.

"No I'm not! I have nothing to hide!" She yelled, once again stopping her walk with a stropy stomp of her foot.

"Then you won't mind fillin' Gambit in," he grinned, flicking his brows up.

"There is nothing to fill! That card never left the table, Dan said all he needed was an Ace, so I just hoped it was an Ace hiding there and low and behold it was!" She threw her arms up, in irritated defeat.

"Happy?"

"So, jus' to clear dis up, I lost my game, 'cause you hoped the card was an Ace?" His disbelieving look caused her hand to twitch, the sudden need to slap a stranger never being so strong than it was this moment.

"Yes! What else do I have to say! I just pictured an Ace hiding on that card and there it was, can I go now?" Lu huffed impatiently.

"Now, we 'ave a problem 'ere Chère," Remy started.

"Ugh, what now…" She groaned hanging her head back lightly as she looked at the sky lightly before turning back to him.

"Ok… what?"

"Dis is the deck played," He dug a pack of playing cards from his pocket and passed them to her.

"…Ok?" The confusion was smacked across her face.

"And the Ace you played," He held up the decorated Ace of spades between two fingers.

"So…" She blinked wide eyes in a silent ask for a hint on what he was getting at.

"Take a quick look threw dat deck Chère," He nodded towards the cards in her hands to which she sighed and opened.

"What am I looking for?" she mumbled shuffling threw them.

"Tell me what cards you're seein'"

"Wha…Are you serious!" She huffed.

"Quicker you do it the sooner you can leave Belle," He gave a coy shrug.

"Again with the names!" She huffed before turning to the cards with a sigh.

"Right…nine of diamonds, three of clubs, jack of hearts, queen of clubs, two of spades, six of diamonds, Ace of diamonds, seven of diamonds…this is stupid," She frowned looking up, before a deeper frown fell over her face as Remy simply waved a hand for her to continue.

"…Jack of spades, king of hearts, three of hearts, nine of hearts, Ace of clubs, king of diamonds, four of spades…this is annoying, What am I looking for!" She burst only to get no reply and another simple wave of the hand.

With a grumble she shuffled threw the cards quickly, mumbling out every now and then.

"…Five, eight, eight, Jack… Ace of hearts, two, four, four…diamond, diamond, seven, clubs, king, three, Ace of spades…Ohhh," After staring at the fourth Ace she chanced a sheepish look up, only to get a very smug look as Remy waved the _other_ Ace of Spades at her.

"Ok, so it's an extra Ace," She shrugged.

"I didn't put it there,"

"No, and I'll let you in on a little secrete, I had it fixed so no one would be dealt an Ace," he tapped his nose lightly.

"Ugh! You fixed the game and come after me because it didn't go your way!" Lucy scoffed.

"Point is you shouldn' 'ave won," He shrugged.

"And 'cause of the stunt you pulled, I'm missin' a very lucky lady,"

"Yer ok…" The brunette huffed, stacking the pack back together.

"You lost me way back,"

"Spades are black no?" Remy raised a brow as he took back the pack of cards held out to him.

"Yer, so?" She shrugged.

"I'm thinkin' you need another look at dis," He held the odd Ace out; till finally he could see pieces click in the woman's mind.

"…It's red?" She stated dully, blown away she never noticed.

"Nothin' gets past you Chère," He grinned mockingly.

"Why is it red?" Lu blinked, utterly lost once more.

"'Cause it was my queen of hearts," he cleared.

"Was?"

"Don' play dumb with me Chère,"

"It's Lucy! And I'm not! I have no idea what you are on about, so far all I have is…Dan was dealt the queen of hearts and when I turned it over it was a red ace of spades…" She waited for the nod of approval before heaving a sigh and giving a small shrug to show that's all she knew.

"I'm jus' wantin' to know how you did it," He shrugged.

"Then hopefully I can 'ave my queen back,"

"…Are…Are you on drugs?" Lucy finally gaped after a long pause.

"The hell is wrong with you!"

"Jus' want my lucky lady back," He stated for the umpteenth time.

"Buy a new deck like a normal person!" She yelled before turning back around, quickly shouting.

"Oh wait! That's the sane way of doing things!"

"You changed 'er easy enough, can't be that hard to change 'er back?" he followed after her casually.

"You are out of your mind! Are you really doing this for a card?" She questioned lightly.

"I'm curious too," he shrugged.

"Well I can't help you with that, I'm in the dark just as much as you!" Lu huffed.

Digging her hands deep into the pockets of her black, A-line trench coat her fists continued to curl up tighter, if she hadn't of bitten her nails off at work due to boredom, then she'd defiantly have stab wounds in her palms.

She'd been walking for twenty minutes and after zipping threw a busy market and hitting the underground she'd come to the sad realisation, she couldn't shake him.

She had avoided heading home for the obvious reasons and it had wound her up to the point of snapping. She should have been worried to have a stalker, but seeing as they had talked and she knows his motives, she was hardly threatened, just extremely peeved.

Dropping her head down with a heavy sigh she stopped her walk as she came out of the underground station, turning on the path to take in the man leaning against the wide, open tiled exit.

"Will you please, go away," She sighed tiredly.

"You know what I want," He simply shrugged.

"No, I don't… I don't even understand you," her face was visibly defeated and tired.

"You talkin' 'bout my accent?" A brow raised on his forehead as he stepped down from the entrance, his height dropping slightly, but not by much as he still held a good six-foot.

"…No!" Lucy found the strength to frown as she shook her head with a scoff before quickly darting off in a fast walk once again.

Her concentration was taken away from her destination as she worked hard on dodging other pedestrians and getting away from the gambler.

She ducked and weaved her way as fast and sly as she could, almost speeding up into a trot, as she neared the traffic lights, if she caught them quick enough, he might not.

"Easy Cher," His smooth voice called as she made to duck round the last person in her way of crossing, but the hand cupping her elbow pulled her back in her stride, causing her to swing her arm around like a propeller.

"GET OFF ME!" She yelled, spinning to face him as she took a stumbled step back to create some distance, her balance faltering as her heel hit an awkward end of a paving stone that jutted up from it's place lightly, her ankle giving an odd twist all helping to cause her leg to give out, her other quickly jumping into save her, the rest of her body following in a counter balance as she fell past the line of people blocking the crossing, finally righting herself in the slip stream of traffic.

Already jumped gasped and strangled shouts where heard as the waiting accident came to a slow close.

As Lucy's eyelids fell open to resemble the look of an animal caught in the headlights, she realised how oddly entrancing a moving vehicle was when it was set on a dead on collision and no matter what little help it did, her face turned to a slow cringe as she held her arms out in front of her in a last attempted at protection while her mind screamed 'Stop' her eyes shutting to hide the disappointment when that car did not do what she wished.

The force she felt was new, nothing like she had expected, the shove that threw her back against the hard, wet tarmac road, she'd never been hit by a car so she had no idea was it should feel like, but surely there should be pain?

But no, oddly enough it simply felt like she had been shoved over and became quickly tried.

Fa lalalala

...untill next time


	4. Chapter 4

Riiiiiight and we're back!

000

4: Home Truths

Tires screeched to a halt, another car crunching into the back of the first as they skidded, swerved and broke harshly to avoid more collisions and accidents.

Eventually the whole crossing had become congested as cars knotted around each other and people crowded around the young woman sprawled on her back, her dark hair flowing out around her head, eyes blearily opening and face contorting into a dazed, spaced out form of concentration.

Pushing past the crowd, Gambit had once thought the woman had been lying when she said she didn't know how the card changed, but after seeing the poor girl almost crushed and acting on pure instinct, did he turn to believe she had in fact no idea of the mutant genes coursing threw her. She was put in danger and as the panic flushed threw her, so did the apparent power she held, her brain working on it's own as it put thoughts into action with out her even realising.

The sight was quite remarkable and he was somewhat amazed to witness such a thing, a young woman preparing to take a hit from the car as her hands shot out on impulse and like a fly to the windscreen of a speeding truck, the vehicle that came hurtling towards her crunched into the unseen screen before her hands, an odd tangle of purple lined cracks jutting out like a spider's web as the invisible barrier took the hit, the cracking force shoving her back and as her hands fell away so did the lines, leaving the car at a stand still where it's front had been crushed.

"Miss, you ok? How many fingers am I holding," A tall man questioned as he spread all five digits out in front of Lucy's face, while the roots of the almost accident slowly came to a stand behind the man, watching closely as Lucy's brows contorted in effort as she lazily took in the hand above her before mumbling what she could count.

"…Six,"

In a second a frown fell over Gambit's face a fast as the odd flash of colour flicked around Lu's iris and with a note of the colour he instantly turned his attention to a woman's shriek.

A middle-aged woman also on the scene had managed to slap a hand over her gaping mouth as she pointed towards the man trying to get sense out of Lucy, with his six-digit hand. He in turn gave his own startled cry as he caught sight of the extra finger, falling back onto his arse as he shook his hand furiously, the add on digit vanishing as quick as it came.

"I got it from here folks," The mutant quickly jumped in, grabbing one of Lucy's arms, pulling her into a floppy sit before bending to shovel her over his shoulder.

His strides where strong and fast, he needed to create some distance before they realised what she was, the majority of the world refused to accept mutants so it would only end one way, and that was bad. The now unconscious Lucy didn't even know she was a mutant and even thou she did nothing wrong and the only person harmed was the driver, which wasn't all that bad, no one would see it that way.

A mutant girl saving her self from death and the driver getting whiplash and a few bruises…disgusting and unforgivable.

A human girl getting hit by a car and killed while the driver swerves to stop, possibly hitting other cars or pedestrians…acceptable.

The world was a cruel chaos, so the least he could do was remove her from that exposure, not that he was doing it purely for her, he'd benefit in someway.

000

With blurry vision, Lucy slowly came too, her hazy eyes opening to take in the oddly coloured, tasteless, tacky pattern of the fabric under her. She'd never seen the material before and the smell was foreign, being like that of cheap laundry detergent.

After a blink it registered the fabric was a bed sheet and this wasn't her bed. Pushing her arms out she flung herself back with a gasp; her hair falling where ever in pleased in a mess as she quickly took in her unknown surroundings. A small room that seemed oddly grey and empty, the one chair and small desk being the only other items filling the room while two bland pictures hung from the walls.

Her breathing hitched up in panicked gaps as she raked threw her mind of what happened, she couldn't place it, how did she get here, she was hit by a car… right? Where is here?

Sweeping a hand up her forehead she roughly pushed her hair from her face before swinging her legs over the bed and jumping to her feet, something she quickly regretted as something similar to jumping on firecrackers went off.

With a surprised scream and stumbled jumps, more tiny, explosive burst erupted from under her feet before all stopping as she fell back on the bed.

"What the?" She exclaimed breathlessly as she clawed her way onto her hands and knees on the bed, looking down at the floor of the room where various playing cards lay out in lines, the area where she had stepped now homing burn marks.

"Rise 'n' shine," Came the smooth accent belonging to Remy.

Instantly Lu's head snapped in the direction of the doorway where the man stood, an oddly smug look on his face.

"…I've died and gone to hell," She stated with a lifeless voice, simply staring at him.

000

"What happened?" She crossed her legs as she sat more comfy on the bed, staring at the strange man across from her after waiting for about ten minutes as he picked the remaining cards from the floor.

"And why where there exploding cards all over the floor and why the hell have you abducted me!" She blurted out a flurry of questions, growing more nervous as she watched him simply straiten out the cards before plucking the top card, his eyes flicking over it's strait edge and towards the unknowing, mutant.

"What card am I holdin'?" His question was odd and random.

"…I dunno," Lu quickly chirped after she recovered from her confusion at the question, her shoulders shifting up and dropping in a shrug.

"Guess,"

"…I still dunno," She shrugged again; unsure of where this was going.

With two easy strides Gambit had crossed the room, causing Lucy to shift back away from him a little as he took a seat at the end of the bed, staring across at her, his eyes never leaving.

"Think of a card and picture dis being dat card," He held the card up closer to her face, the picture facing him while the back stared teasingly at her.

A frown pulled at her face lightly as her eye contact withered under his, resulting in her forcing herself to busy herself by doing as she was told, staring at the back of the card while thinking what the picture could possibly be.

"Three of clubs," She whispered quietly.

Her eyes wandered sheepishly back up to his; almost expectantly as she waited for the reveal, the smirk on Remy's lips had an unknown meaning.

Flicking the card around he showed her the spoken card, three of clubs.

"Well done," He nodded.

"It was a guess," Lucy shrugged, still confused.

"Was it?" He raised a brow towards her watching as she simply blinked at him.

"Tell me Chéri, what do you think of mutants?"

The question was like a slap to the face, views on that subject where highly divided and she didn't want to go saying the wrong thing or it could easily escalade.

"As in, do I have a problem with them?" She tried carefully, raising a brow and watching as he gave a nod.

"Well…no, I have nothing against them, it not like my life has changed drastically because of them… Why, you gunnu hurt me if I say I hate them, coz you're really one?" Her wide eyes took on an innocent curiosity, despite her statement-sounding question; she waited for the stranger across from her to finally explain at least something.

"You jus' playin' dumb or somethin' Cher?" He questioned harshly, causing the brunette to shift some more distance between them.

"Sorry for playing it safe… and I did ask what was up with the cards," She shot on the defence.

"What makes you think it was the cards?" Remy shuffled the remainder of the deck, his eyes dropping down to it.

"What else could it have been… So how did you do it, I mean, I can only assume that you are a mutant, so what can you do?" She took on a look of curiosity, leaning forwards over her crossed legs.

"You don' seem all that surprised to be meetin' a mutant," He observed though his eyes stayed on the cards.

"We'll no… I already know two mutants, and one of them texted me about you…she mentioned you could do something with cards but that's all she got," Again her shoulders raised and dropped in a small shrug, like an ender for every time she spoke.

"That be why you ain't surprised it was the cards," He gave a nod with a small grin.

"So…how do you do it?"

"Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine," He grinned, his cunning eyes flicking up to lock on to hers, happily soaking up the confusion set on her face.

"Umm I…don't have one, sorry to disappoint," She bit at her bottom lip lightly before waiting for his answer.

"I can manipulate kinetic energy … I also have, a some what hypnotic charm about myself," at the last part Lucy gave a small scoff and disbeliving eye roll.

"Yer, right… did you have to add the second part?" She questioned.

"Would you be sat here with a stranger in his hotel room, as calm as you are?"

Lu opened her mouth to protest and found herself easily becoming dry on what to say, she _was_ oddly calm, she felt little threat and danger from this unknown man who had stalked her for half of the day and swept her away to his shanty little hotel room.

"See, Gambit has a hypnotic charm," he nodded with a smug grin.

"Not when he talks like that," Lucy mumbled, looking around the room to avoid his eyes.

"And you Belle, have a vivid imagination,"

"Meaning?" Lu shot in defence thinking there was a bad meaning behind his words.

"Meanin' what ever your tiny mind thinks up, happens," He flipped the three of clubs back around before flicking it down on the bed between them.

"I don' know how you managed it, but it was an eight of spades," He dug a hand into his pocket and brought out the Ace of spades that had been in question, flicking it down next to the three of clubs.

"And dat was the Queen of hearts" Rmey leveled his eyes to rest on Lu's permantly confused face.

"You saying I did that? That I changed the cards?" She finnaly spoke up.

"Changed the cards and stopped the car from hittin' you," He nodded, watching as her brown eyes glided the room before dropping down to the cards in disbelife.

"But…How?" She mumbled.

"You're a mutant belle, so lets find out how you work," With a firm confident nod Remy stood, a smirk tuging at his lips as he extended a hand down to the bewilderd, young woman, waiting for her acceptance.

"Why are you helping me?" She questioned causiously, watching his every move and looking for the truth in his face.

"For the good of my fellow mutants and to see a smile on that pretty face," As his grin widend, her face dropped down into a very unimpressed look.

"Right… you want something," She nodded, clearly seeing what he wouldn't say.

"We can help each other," Gambit corrected, raising his brows and nodding towards his waiting hand.

000

Hmmm... what does he want and should she accept his help?

ohhhh the wonder

wooooooooooooooooooooooo


	5. Chapter 5

Ello there!... riiiight... well lets get right too it!

...

..

.

000

5: Tricky Teachings

"Why are we here?" Lucy shrugged, digging her hands into the pockets of her coat as she shuffled after the tall mutant ahead of her.

"To get you some practice," He stated simply without so much of a backwards glance.

"How? There are loads of people around and I don't think they'd take to kindly," At this Remy turned to look over his shoulder at her, taking in her calm, barely tanned face as her brown eyes stared at choice cars that passed.

Slowing his steeps and turning sharply to face her, he watched and waited as she looked back towards him and gave a startled blink, a small jump jolting her back a step.

"…What?" She questioned, looking at him with wide innocent eyes.

"Jus' follow quietly and listen to me Chéri," His grin tugged up lightly as he straitened his back and took a slow look around, his sharp eyes landing on a street swindler, a standard crook tricking stupid people out of their money in the most simplest of ways, a good old deck of cards.

"Ere's your first test Cher," Lucy peered at the cunning look warn across his face, wandering if this was really a man she should be stood so close to, let alone accepting his help for what ever the reason.

"What?" She questioned, moving her eyes to follow his line of sight, hoping to see what he sees.

She still didn't believe fully what Remy had told her, she was normal, sure the odd weird things happen and it may have been closely linked to what she thought or said, but they where merely a coincidences.

Gripping her upper arm gently, Gambit tugged Lu along next to him, steering her towards the small crowd that had gathered around the man, his make shift table and deck of cards.

"What are you doing?" She frowned lightly, watching as Remy plucked a healthy sized fold of notes from his pocket.

"How much do you carry!" she then chirped having seen the actual amount he had stashed away.

"Ugh…and you come bitching after me coz you lost a game," She continued in a mumble, lifting her hands from her pockets to fold her arms across her chest.

"What's the stakes?" Gambit chirped up, his head bowed towards the large fold of money he was idly flicking threw, looking more like he was playing with it than actually counting it.

The few people making up the crowd slowly parted, each turning to see the man who spoke, Lu glanced around almost seeming panicked at the fact she had no idea what the man beside her was planning.

"All or nothin'" A more gruff voice almost coughed out, catching Lucy's attention as she flicked her brown eyes to the man shuffling cards, his hands where lazy causing the cards to catch and the shuffle seeming very out of flow and novice.

His grey hoodie was smudged with grease from his obvious binge on fast food and face looked rather worn with the creases in his skin and greying stubble clinging to his jaw. The look on his face was that of boredom and lack of interest, a complete opposite of Gambit's, which was smug, confident and calculating.

The conman lifted his head with a slow effort to see the man questioning, something in which Gambit did the same, his razor eyes flashing up from the shadow of his hat, the closed grin turning smug as he watched the street conman's eyes instantly spark to life, hooking onto the money in hand.

"You wanna try your hand?" the gruff man gave a grin, setting his deck down as Remy stepped up to the table.

"I'm all in, can you match it?" The large fold of money was set down on the side of the playing table.

With a small tut, a tub-a-wear box, holding his day's takings, was lifted to the table and set opposite the mutants bet.

"Good luck my friend," He nodded, moving his hand to pluck the deck off the table.

"Not me," Remy grinned, reaching a blind arm behind him and easily gripping Lucy.

"Her," He pulled her next to him and took a step back, leaving her to fend for herself in front of the table.

The shifty swindler was hardly going to complain and turn down an easier target, so with a fake grin he started.

"Alright lil miss, all you gotta do is find the Ace," He held up said card, being the all to popular Ace of spaded Lucy was starting to hate.

"Look at it, take in it's every detail Cher," Remy whispered, his lips lowered to stay close to her left ear as he set his hands on her shoulders, as if simply watching from behind her. With a hard blink, she shook away the surprise and confusion and did as she was told, staring at the card till it burned at her eyes.

"Ok?" she nodded, her voice small and unsure like that of a shy child meeting a towering stranger.

With that one little word the card was slapped face down on the table, followed by a few random other cards and shuffled around before being lined up neatly.

"So where's the Ace hiding?" He grinned while Lucy almost cringed.

She knew full well she was being conned, and there was no chance that card was still on the table, as much as she liked to think the card she was staring at was still the Ace her eyes where following, she just knew it probably wasn't.

"Picked your card belle?" Remy whispered to which she nodded faintly in reply.

"Good, now think 'bout dat Ace you gotta' find, and picture it bein dat card," He gave her shoulders a light encouraging squeeze, not that it did much good she was still panicked, but still she did as she was told, thought of the card she was supposed to find and prayed it was the one she was reaching for.

000

"Not bad," Gambit grinned, tidying the notes up into a neat stack, so they would fold neatly.

"I'm not sure if I'm following what just happened," Lu shrugged, slowing with the knowing mutant as he gripped her upper arm and swung her to stand next to him.

"See… some how, you can make what ever you want seem real, like an illusion, you jus' gotta put your mind to it," Tapping a finger to her forehead he gave a cheeky grin and pulled two cards from a pocket on the inside of his coat.

Holding one in each hand he showed her the pictures, three of clubs and the red ace of spades, before turning them so the backs faced her.

"Now, dis one… think of it bein' the eight of spades," He held the one in his right hand closer to her.

"But… I know it's the three of clubs," She added faintly.

"Think of it bein' the eight of spades," He simply stated again.

With a slight frown she thought about it.

"Your not even tryin' now," Remy threw her, an agitated look to which she jumped to defend herself.

"Well, you're asking me to do stupid things!"

"Jus' look at the back of dis card and think of the eight of spades!"

With a roll of her eyes she glared at the back of the card, cursing it to be the card he wanted, cursing it so had she actually got carried away and jolted back to reality when the card was flipped back around to face her.

"…Did you switch it?" She blinked, moving her eyes from the card and up to him, watching as one corner of his lips twitched up while his head shook slowly for no.

"Now…Queen of Hearts," He held the second card forwards, and like the first she new what the card actually was but thought of it being the queen of hearts instead, using her apparent over active imagination to visualise the card he wanted, and with a simple shift of his fingers he flipped the card back around.

"Bout time, was startin' to miss my lucky lady," He grinned.

"…How… how did that happen?" Lucy blinked, jumping after Remy as he turned and simply started to walk.

"No idea Cher, lets just leave it as a vivid imagination,"

"But…vivid imagination didn't stop that car!" She called, speeding up to his side, trying to get an answer from his face somehow.

"No, dat was jus' your mind and body workin' on impulse to save you, usin' your mutant power," He nodded.

"Yer ok! Shout it to the world next time… but I still don't get how it all works!" She huffed, taking a quick look around to make sure no one heard what was said.

"Listen Chéri, I ain' no expert, I jus' found out what you did, I 'ave no clue how you did it," with that said he stepped up his pace.

"Oh! Thanks!" She shot sarcastically, quickly catching up.

"You know, I could have done with out that! My life was nice and boring before you decided to stalk me for a day!"

"I got what I came for," He simply shrugged and with a small falter in her step she fell back a few paces, not that she was hurt by what was said, despite how blatant the jab was, she just didn't really want to be left knowing hardly anything after being given so many more questions.

Clenching her fist and bringing them from her pockets and firmly to her side she picked up her strides, using the decent leg length she had on her five foot nine frame to shove past him.

"Good," she chirped, deciding not to spit it out but to sound cheery instead, it was after all a good thing he'd leave her alone now.

With her long, fast strides her calves started to burn with the speed walk she was pushing on her self.

000

"Hey Anne, do you know if Carol is in?" Lucy droned down the phone.

"My Gawd! Lucy! Where the hell you been!" Anne almost screeched.

With a huff, Lu looked down at the slow moving path in front of her.

"It's a long story," She groaned.

"I'm so reading your tiny mind when you get your ass back here!" the petite blonde stated.

"Ugh, please don't," The brunette, groaned.

"And Carol went out to find you, took her ages to locate you, said summit bout your energy being smothered by two mutants, or summit?"

Lu could literally see Anne giving a shrug at the end of that sentence the way her tone was dry and bored.

"Right, well I'm running outta credit so can you give her a call sayin' I'm heading back,"

"Yer, sure, no worries… I'll see your memories when you get in!" She chirped with a grin.

"Ugh, yer sure, ta!" Lucy groaned with fake enthusiasm before disconnecting the call and slipping her phone back into her bag and not a second later she got hailed, in a very unwanted manor.

"Oi, You!" The gruff bellow came from way behind her, and even thou it could have been for anyone; she still found herself turning, curiosity of course to blame.

Her face instantly dropped at the sight of the swindling thug, Remy had made her, unknowingly, con.

"…Can I help you?" She asked sheepishly, her face taking on an innocent confusion, while her heart picked up a mile a minute.

"You and your little boyfriend, conned me outta my money," He literally growled, stepping up to her in an intimidating manor, to which Lucy gave a stone carved face.

"He ain't my boyfriend love," She defended, of course clearing up the most important part first.

"And I guess it really does take one to know one," She simply shrugged.

After that fell from her lips she realised it probably wasn't the best thing to say.

"You cheeky little shit! I want my fuckin' money now!" He gripped harshly at her upper arm and pushed her back against the empty doorway of a closed shop.

"I don't have it! You came after the wrong person!" She quickly spat, shaking her grabbed arm and using her free one to try and push him off.

"You better rethink that you little fuckin bitch," He shot in rage, grinding the words out threw his clenched teeth, his desperation for money made obvious.

"I told you I don't have it!" She shot back, becoming threatened as she fought back with fear aggression.

With a small squeak she froze at the sigh of the small blade he slipped from the cuff of his hoodie, watching with wide, doe like eyes as he waved it tauntingly at her.

"Now, re-fuckin-think that," He pointed towards her with the tip of the blade.

000

daadaaaaaaaaaaaa

=]


	6. Chapter 6

helloooooo again =]

000

6: Put in to Practice

"I swear to god I don't have the money! Which come to think of it is wrong because I did technically swindle it from you," Her face gave a small explaining cringe as she thought about the situation.

"B-but he tricked me into doing it and in so landing me in the shit and leaving you with no money!" Lucy tried passing the blame, she didn't feel at all wrong doing it either, seeing as Gambit was the one who is letting her take the blame so it's only fair she gives it back to the right person.

"Well where is he now!" The gruff man spat in irritation, giving an impatient wag of the blade.

"The hell should I know! Probably out conning some other poor sap?" She gave a panicked shrug, as thoughts passed threw her head on what to say. She didn't know the man at all and she most defiantly had no contact to him so there was no way of her finding him, but, the street side swindler didn't know that… perhaps she could lie herself free.

"Listen! I'm getting really pissed so you better stop messing me around girl," Again he gave a taunting wave of his blade, even throwing in a small poke to her collar bone with it, causing Lucy to give a small squeak, the panic, adrenalin and need to get away from the man growing to such intensity her blood was nearly bubbling.

"I hope that knife burns threw your fucking hand!" She shot in fake anger and strength as her hands clenched and an odd swell gathered in her chest and coursed threw her veins as she thought of it.

Whether her tone was believable and the glare on her face was actually fearsome, the man instantly stepped back with a wide-eyed stupor about himself. It wasn't her words, how she said it or the look on her face, but the startling flash in her eyes, the colour a dark and powering Amethyst.

The frown on Lucy's face loosened to confusion as she watch the man as he turned to look at his hand, his mouth opening to give a struggled cry as he tried to flick open his hand to release the blade, but to no joy. His cries quickly turned to loud agonised bellows as he gripped at his wrist with his free hand, trying to shake the blade away from his sizzling skin.

With a sharp intake Lucy bolted, scarpering down the road and taking the first turn, trying to create as much distance as possible from her self and the man. What had happed spooked her, but what she had done scared her more so. She had done what anyone else would have and hoped for an insane punishment to someone threatening her, the only difference was… she made it real. What if it happened again, thinking of something and making it real, hurting someone without wanting to just wishing to.

It was normal to wish bad on others when they have done badly to you, because you know no matter how much you scream it in your head or at them it will never happen, but for Lucy… I could, the swell in her chest and bubbles in her veins could do that.

000

Tripping up a curb she finally allowed herself to slow, dragging a shoulder against the brickwork of a wall as she stopped, her breathing having become harsh and ragged as she heaved for each breath.

Coughing she tried to desperately clear her airways to allow better flow of air before rubbing at her chest with a wince.

Lucy almost jumped out of her skin and would have given a tremendous shriek, had she had the breath for it, as her upper arm was gripped once again, but in a far gentler way than before. The man holding her pulled her into a walk next to him, his shaded eyes searching the area around, peering out harshly from under the hat as if he was expecting an army to come his way.

"…Gambit?" Lucy breathed, blinking up at the man as she stumbled into step next to him.

"Now Cher, what did I say?" He continued to look around before setting his sight forward.

"…I…I dunno…" She gave a small shrug, confused to what he was talking about.

At this he turned to her, a small smirk lifting at one corner of his lips, wiping away the deadly serious look on his face.

"For you, its Remy," He finished of with a wink to which Lu gave a small smile and light chuckle.

"Ok, sorry…Remy," This was the first time she had actually managed an actual smile since meeting him, as small as it was it was still there, and that small smile sparked an interest in Gambit.

"How'd you find me… and why?" She questioned, turning to peer up at him.

"You never left my sight Belle," He stated simply.

"…So why? I thought you got what you wanted?" She shook her head in confusion.

"You had a some what pitiful look about you, like a stray dog," He once again spoke like it was a fact.

"Gambit couldn't resist," He grinned down at her as she frowned.

"A stray dog!" She barked at him.

"Pathetic yet cute, makes you wanna take it home,"

Shaking her head, Lucy decided to turn away from his cheeky grin and simply let the comment slide, for now.

Looking down at her dragging feet a small, shaken sigh wobbled past her lips, the quiver easily picked up by the experienced mutant next to her.

"You ok Cher?" He raised a brow towards her, his face dropping into a slight worry, wondering where her fire and backchat had suddenly vanished.

"I never left your sight, right?" She questioned, sounding almost sheepish and completing it off with a timid look up at him, to which he simply nodded.

"Is what I said," He confirmed.

"So, you saw what happened? What I did?" She trailed off in a whisper, watching as his eyes flicked forwards in a hard stare.

"Dat I did Chéri," He gave another nod, the muscle in his jaw giving a tiny flex.

"I didn't mean to do that! Will that happen all the time?" She rushed her questions in a light panic.

With a firm shake of his head Remy turned to her.

"Answer to dat, is no, you acted on instinct, jus' like the car, your mind and body jus' reacted, the thoughts in your head simply changed how," At his words Lucy visibly calmed, thou confusion was still swimming in her eyes.

"Will it always be like this?"

"I ain't no expert Cher, but we all learn to control what we 'ave,"

"But how?" She added almost desperately.

"Practice, get familiar with what you can do," He shrugged, before throwing a look over his shoulder.

"Quick," He suddenly stated, pulling her off sharply and picking up the pace.

000

His long strides and her already dented energy bar made it difficult for her to keep up, causing her every other pace to be dragged.

"What's wrong? Why are you going so fast?" She huffed trying to figure out the hard-set look on his face, only to squeak in shock as he pushed her down a back street where the walls where high and the few fire doors to bars and clubs stayed securely shut.

Rushing her up to the deepest set door, Gambit pushed her tired form into the doorway and plucked the hat from his head and set it on hers.

"Stay here, keep your head down, don' let anyone see you, ok?" His accented tongue ordered to which she simply gave a slow nod to, watching as he pushed away from where he hid her and strode back down the ally like street, creating some distance from her.

Curling her fingers around the brickwork of the doorway she hid in, Lucy pressed her frame into the corner, carefully peeking to curiously keep watch.

Gambit dug his hands leisurely into the pockets of his coat, his head bowed as he calmly took in the damp concrete beneath him. It wasn't long before another figure's shadow stretched into view, the presence growing as the seemingly bulky man stalked forwards slowly, blocking off the way Gambit and Lucy had just came from.

"You picked a day I'm unarmed," Gambit opened his arms, his coat pulling out from where his hand where still in his pocket.

"How unfortunate," The unfamiliar man growled, his voice and very posture almost animalistic.

The introductions where kept at that, short and sweet as the long coat of the stranger, slapped against the ground with the man's sudden crouch before he leaped forwards, pouncing like a lion on it's prey.

Lucy's mouth dropped open at Gambit's still form, she was unable to see the smug grin tugging up at the one corner of his lips, and visibly cringed as the closing pounce looked close to fatal.

That's when it happened, in a simple blink, Gambit's right hand had lunged forwards, his coat flicking back behind him, as his fingers splayed out delicately from the release of the object that was once cradled between his pointer and middle finger, and like that the beastie man was flung back in his pounce with an exploding force.

Lucy's dropped mouth now began to become dry as she watched Gambit calmly set his hand back into his pocket before pulling it out a second later, his deck of cards held perfectly in his palm.

Bringing his left hand from his pocket he brought it to meet the deck as he started to shuffle.

With a growl, the burly man clawed back to his feet, obviously pissed and easily angered but instead of pouncing forwards he chose to pound forwards with heavy steps.

Gambit's face turned down as he watched him, his fingers quickly gripping a card as he waited. With three paces taken another card was flung and so the onslaught began, with the first attack given defence was taken, a quick dive to the side left the card to take out an unhealthy size of wall. As the brick tumbled the animal like man was back in a crouch and began his lunge, moving Gambit into a quick step, his movements more fluid compared to the stomping bounds of the stranger.

With ducks and jumps to avoid the variation of high and low swipes, Gambit fended him off and created some distance with two well aimed cards, quickly finding a good stance as he watched the man slide back along the floor.

After an agonising pause the unknown man stood with a taunting chuckle, a sharp grin showing off his elongated canines.

"I know where she is," He taunted, raising his brows towards Remy in a mock tease, before turning his head further down the back street to the doorway Lucy was pushed into hiding. With a crude grin he lifted a dirty hand and waved towards her, his eyes giving a hunter like glint at the rabbit like body signals, the frozen woman gave off, even if he couldn't see her face or any distinguishing features about her, her tense body language gave away her fear. As a finishing touch he lifted his fingers to his lips, putting on show the over gown, blood blacken talons as he blew a toxic kiss her way.

Before his sickly, smug grin could once again be directed at Gambit, four searing cards pummelled into his chest, crashing him threw the thick brick wall of the building at the entrance to the street, the falling rubble and brick work mounting around the entrance wound of the building.

"Go now," Gambit strode towards Lucy and grabbed her arm, pulling her from the shadows and encouraging her further down the street.

"He don' know who you are Cher but keep your head down," He instructed her, before giving a pat to the hat on her head, pushing it further down, almost covering her eyes.

"Now go, quickly!" He pushed her on.

"What…Wait! What about you?" She chirped, spinning sharply to face him only to be turned back about and given another light shove.

"Don' worry, I'll be fine knowing I've helped a beautiful lady," he gave her a wink before giving her another encouraging push and turning back on his heels, striding towards the unsettling rumble and movement coming from the debris.

000

isn't this fun :D

tee hee


	7. Chapter 7

Hellooooo there! here is another lil update for ye!

i thought i'd kick things off with a little bit of ...stuff XD

000

7: Second Shadow

"Where the hell have you been!" Carol shot, sitting bolt upright from her once dozing position in the armchair, receiving only a scoff from Lucy.

"Anne said you where being stalked!"

"I wasn't being stalked," Lu shot out in a forced chuckle, shrugging her black trench coat off and hanging it on the back of the door before plucking the foreign hat from her head.

"What ever, I'm goin to bed, I have to get up early and Anne is staying with what's his name, bye" and with that the scruffy haired woman trudged upstairs in the shared house.

"…Ok," Lucy hushed watching her head up before throwing her hands up into her hair as soon as the door clicked closed, opening her mouth with a silent scream before throwing her hands down from her head, leaving her brown locks tussled.

"What the hell!" She whispered to herself, finally giving a small panic about her mad, day's events.

Flopping down on the sofa she heaved a heavy sigh and draped an arm over her eyes, her head throbbing with thoughts and worries, and despite what she wanted to know and what she newly discovered about herself she couldn't help but worry about the health and welfare of the strange man that flipped her life around in what could be record time.

Rolling awkwardly and pushing herself up into a sit Lucy pushed a hand threw her hair before taking a look around the lightly lit living room. She couldn't rest and couldn't stay still.

Springing to her feet Lucy strode to the door plucking a different coat from the back, just a simple grey lounge jacket as well as a black wool scarf and hat, a small fluffy bobble sat on the top while two long plaits hang from the ears of the hat, two little pompoms at the ends.

Stretching the black gloves over her hands she then grabbed her bag and keys, quietly slinking back out the door.

000

Digging her hands into the pockets of her grey jacket, Lucy huffed out a breath into the cold night air, tucking her chin into the warm scarf coiled around her neck. The bright lights of a small food shop seemed almost blinding compared to the dull amber streetlights.

"Ah shit, I forgot," Lucy hissed as she halted out side the shop and quickly darted in threw the automatic doors.

Scanning threw the isle she picked up the few items she was supposed to get earlier in the day and now at the nightly hours she stood staring into the chiller cabinet at the many cartons of milk.

After paying for her few items, she slid the two plastic carrier bags onto one arm while she slipped her bank card back into her purse as she slowly shuffled out the shop, it was then that she noticed with confusion and irritation, something was missing.

"Where the hell is my provisional?" She questioned with a small shocked squeak, before tilting her head back with a groan. Another thing to add to her glorious day, her ID had gone walkies.

000

Turning the corner of her street her eyes stayed down on the path she walked.

"Still out?" An oddly accented male voice spoke out.

"Jesus Christ!" Lucy gasped, her body jumping at the sudden voice as she spun wildly to see the one startling her.

"Amen," He grinned from where he stood on top of the high wall.

"What the? …You… how'd you find me! What are you doing here! Oh my god what happened as well?" She blurted in a flurry of questions, each one passing with a sudden burst of emotions.

Remy crouched down on the wall so he was at a better height to talk to her and simply held a small, plastic green card between his pointer and middle finger.

"Smart of you to change your appearance, if I didn' know your face, you'd be good," He nodded.

"My ID!" Lucy exclaimed, swiping it from his grasp as it was held out.

"When did you swipe that from my purse! And I'm hardly gunnu keep that same coat on, be a bit easy to find," She frowned.

"When you where sleeping, and true" He stated simply with a grin.

"…Sleeping?" She thought dully before finally clicking.

"That wasn't a sleep! I was out cold! Why did you take it anyway?"

"Jus' encase," He shrugged, jumping down from the wall causing Lucy to step back with a cautious look, watching as he slipped a hand into his pocket.

"Of what?" A questioning brow rose up on her face.

When he did nothing but give a small shake of his head and awkward shrug, Lucy narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Riiight…" She dragged out, taking a slow step around him.

"It's nothing bad Cher," He stated with a shake of his head.

"Well I'll drop it but only because I want to know what happened," She shuffled the bags awkwardly into her hands before giving him strong, confident eye contact.

"It's best you don' know," He stated blandly, giving her a serious look right back, the eye contact turning into more of a staring contest now as Gambit waited for a weakness or some weaver in her confidence to come threw in her eyes, he after all had the perfect poker face, she, did not. It could only be too easy to break her down and get her off the subject.

"So, I want to know," Lucy huffed almost childishly.

"No," Remy stood his ground.

"Tell me," She turned into more of a demand with a small whining hint on the end.

"You know, you could probably make me tell," He observed, taking a look deeper into her eyes as he caught the flicker of panic, hesitation and the one emotion that almost put a crack in his stone, playing mask, fear.

Instantly Lucy had turned and started walking, her eyes darting around her surrounding as she tried to concentrate on anything but that, her breathing coming out in short huffs as her panic became more evident and her thoughts ran away.

What if she could make him talk, even control what he did, what if she could control his life… with a simple little thought out of hate or anger, she could wish bad upon him like many people do when livid, scream out a hate full end, a dark hope.

The worst thing was she knew she'd do it, she had that temper that when annoyed or angry she would turn around and scream, go jump in front of a car, I hope you burn, drop dead!

What if each of those happened? Sure in a calm reality she wouldn't want that and no matter how angry she may have been if anything like that was to happen, it would destroy her, so she was fearful of herself, ever since that grungy man came after her and she sent his blade burning threw his hand did she see the actual scary reality to what she could possibly do.

"Aw Cher, I didn' mean that!" Remy found himself jumping after her, the look in her eyes was now all over her face and for some reason it tugged uncomfortably at his chest.

"Shut up! It's your fault I'm like this!" Lucy shot, a strain pulling at her voice as her walk turned into a determined stomp.

"You where already like dis Cher, I did nothin'," He stated, quickening his step after her.

"I would never have known!" She burst out shooting him a furious look.

"Dat ain't nothin' good," he frowned, giving her a warning look.

"I was fine not knowing!" She stopped; spinning to face him so suddenly he almost crashed into her as he skidded to a halt.

"Why did you do that!" She yelped before quickly turning to stride off again.

"And what would you ave done when you did find out Cher!" Remy caught her arm, sharply stopping her and turning her to face him.

"How would you ave felt when you found out your power in the worst way possible and 'ad no one to help you?" His stare was hard and serious as he looked down at her vulnerable face, her eyes withering under his intense gaze as she turned to look away, again causing a crack in his stern look.

"I don't have anyone to help me anyway," She added softly, her saddened eyes dropping to the ground as she shrugged him off and finally Remy caved.

With a rough sigh, he let her soft words and fragile emotion filled eyes rock him.

"I'll help you Belle," He stated quietly, watching as her shocked face stared up at him, a small glimmer of relief helping drain the tears away from her watery eyes.

"Really?" She squeaked seeming almost child like and untrusting. The look on her face showing if this _was,_ all lies and everything _was_ ripped from her she could not go on and that dented at Gambit.

"Yes Chère, you leave it with Gambit," He added to boost her trust in him, lifting a hand to brush a small straying tear from her cheek.

With that he tucked both hands back into his pockets and turned.

"We'll start tomorrow," He called to her, ensuring he didn't turn around so he wouldn't get pulled in any deeper by her helpless looks.

"…Thank you," She called softly after him, causing a small falter in his steps as he gave the tiniest of pauses to look back at her. Her smile wasn't happy or eager, more sheepish but thankful, shy even.

With a nod Remy continued on, already knowing he's gotten himself in too deep with this one, her eyes gave away her emotions too easily and once cracked, her face would spill them too and it was shocking how evidently they where carried in her voice, he had to be careful with her. He already let these factors crack him, so with each step he took he planned his course of action. Sure he would help the girl, just like he said, but in no way shape or form would he get too close, he couldn't afford to get attached so he had to be strict on himself and in turn Lucy, there would be no bonding, there couldn't be anymore strings.

He felt guilty and couldn't help her fearful, pleading looks, and these had been the start of the tangle he had to be sure to avoid.

After all things had only gotton more complicated thanks to him, and that was a problem soon to raise it's ugly face, so with that factor it's a better fighting reason for helping her, a reason he can repeat over to himself, to drill into his head that that was the _only_ reason for helping her, she was accidentally caught in a cross fire thanks to him, so he had to make _that_ right.

With a nod at his thoughts Gambit decided to go with that option on why he was helping her, it was true and it would help him keep a safe distance from growing attached.

000

alright!

so we got our helpless Lucy, scared out of her mind at what she might be able to do and her over active imagination isn't helping her one bit...and lucky her has none other than Gambit to possible help her...

now... how should i play this out...

Teachers aren't allowed any naughty relationships with there studens so i guess it's alright seeing a Gambit refuses to get attached... even though he slightly is any way...hmmm

but the big question is WHY!

WHY doesn't he want to get attached?

well... i already know...sooo i guess u all have to WAIT!


	8. Chapter 8

Helloooooo there!

yeeeeeeeeeeeer hi hello... s'pose we should get right down to bizz!

000

8: Doctor Wilson

"What time do you start?" Carol asked with a mumble as she shuffled from the kitchen and into the living room, throwing her question to Lucy as she passed the woman sat cross legged on the over used and abused sofa.

"Half two," The brunette called back after clearing her mouth of coco pops before lifting the bowl to under her chin and shovelling another load in while still crispy instead of soggy.

"Why you up so early then?" Carol ruffled a hand threw her short, boyish length, dusty brown hair, watching as her more feminine friend paused her meal to grab the remote for the TV to bring up the time.

"It's nearly half eleven now," Lucy frowned, turning to her boyish friend.

"Yeah! That's early for you," She laughed.

"So why you up?"

"I couldn't sleep and I just get annoyed and worked up when I'm like that, so I got up," The brunette shrugged.

"Right, you worked up 'bout summit?" Carol questioned as she lifted her boyfriend fit jeans to sit back on her hips from where they where slipping down her back end, showing off more than just the elastic waist band of the girl boxers she wore.

"No," Lu shot in a muffled tone.

"Sexually frustrated?" Carol raised a brow towards her friend, soaking in the frozen, deadpan frown painted on her face before deciding to scratch that idea.

"Alright! Not that then!" She chirped in defence, watching as Lucy slowly brought another spoonful of cereal towards her lips, the look on her face exactly the same.

"But if you are… Miss Anne Summers can sought that," the woman quickly ducked as a rather large grey cushion hurtled towards her head.

"Your gross!" Lu scoffed, flicking her legs out of their fold and standing up, her spoon clinking down into the now abandoned food.

000

With a light huff Lucy pushed a hand threw her dark, layered hair; roughly sorting threw any tangles after having pulled a grey, cable knit jumper on. The sleeves where short and the overall top was quite loose fitting, held closed with large plastic buttons and cinched in at the waist with a tie around belt of the same material. The top of the jumper flared out into a wide collar where the buttons continued to trail up, showing if they where buttoned to the top then half her face would be covered and she'd have to roll it down, so she left them undone, rather than having the collar double up as an attached scarf 24/7. The end of the top reach down past her bum where it hid the top of her blue denim jeggings in a stylish, snug look, large warm pockets sitting at the front.

"Where you off to now?" Carol yelled threw the wall, unable to actually get up and move.

"Out, I might do a bit of shopping before work," Lucy called back as she hopped around, pulling on the pale pink, cardy style ugg boots, fake of course, like hell could the poor woman afford anything else!

Straitening out she flicked her hair from her face and tugged a pale pink, beret style hat onto her head and matching scarf the next thing to be flung on before she pulled on her grey arm warmers, grabbed her bag and shot out the door before anything else was questioned of her.

She trudged down the street, looking quite lost for someone that actually knew the area quite well, digging her hands into the large pockets at the front of her top and snuggling her chin down into the scarf, she slowed as she came to cross the road and looked both ways before quickly jogging across to the bus shelter opposite, stepping under the clear roofing and taking a seat on the narrow red bench.

Lucy simply blinked down at her bouncing knee, the cold air was sharp against her face and exposed arms but it wasn't too bad, winter was only just coming so it would get worse in the following weeks, plus by mid day the temperature was bound to go up, everything was always quite fresh in the mornings.

"Ow!" Lucy suddenly squeaked, her body jolting in a surprised jump as something small and light stabbed at her left temple. Lifting a hand from her pocket she rubbed at the attacked area, wondering how lucky she was, not to have her eye poked out and gave a seething look around her, wondering what idiot would throw something at a total, innocent, keeping to there self, stranger.

No matter how much she looked she couldn't see anyone, so instead searched for what hit her. Various screwed up buss tickets littered the floor, along with, chewing gum, crisp packets and a coke can… none of which she thought was thrown at her, till finally she spotted a neat little card laying out in front of her right foot, so taking her other hand from her pocket and dipping in her seat she picked the item off the floor and turned it around.

With a sudden lurch of life an odd sensation shot from her stomach and devoured her chest, as she looked at the Queen of hearts, it was dread, _He_ was here and now she had _his_ lucky lady again. With a light squint she read the scrawled writing out to her self with a great amount of confusion.

"Think fast Chéri,"

Her mouth gaped open as she stared at the card wide eyed before a loud, piercing whistle, snapped her attention up. Her eye's wide a doe like, she stared across the road at the tall figure and instantly shrieked, vaulting away from the small bench and falling against the glass wall of the bus shelter, shooting a panicked look to the scorch mark in the very spot she was once sitting.

"What the hell!" She yelled, quickly turning to glare in the direction the dangerous card was flicked, only to flinch and shriek, as the card thrower now stood right by her side.

"Nice reflexes," He nodded with a smug grin, lifting an odd cane and tapping the crystal end, to her forehead.

"What was that for!" She simply snapped in irritation, trusting his card back to him.

"Jus' checkin' your reaction Cher," He simply shrugged.

"You almost blew me up!" She lifted her hand and gave his arm a shove, pushing him a more comfortable distance from her.

"Dat wasn' meant to kill, jus' make a show, harmless really…jus' encase," He grinned as her, giving a cheeky wink as he flipped the queen of hearts between his fingers.

"So! What the hell did that prove!" She shot back.

"Dat you ain' relyin' on your power," He chirped simply causing Lucy to frown, a pause setting in before she piped up.

"…So!"

"So you don' burst at every lil' thin' dat happens,"

"Oh… is that good?" She had now calmed, looking up at him with 'need to know' eyes.

"Yes and no, yes 'cause you won' end up causin' some awful amount of damage 'cause somethin' simply spooked you, and no, 'cause it might be harder for you to get used to usin' and controllin' your power," With another shrug Gambit ended his statement and at Lucy's silence he finally turned and peered down and her sweetly confused face.

"Well… I liked the yes part!" She finally chirped with a small, optimistic smile.

With a raise of the brow Remy took in the woman before him, wondering the best way to help her out, and what could he do to help her get a grip at her power.

000

"Umm… look I have to go to work!" Lucy frowned as she looked around the area she was now in, a dark and seedy looking place; wear houses lined up in their monumental rows.

"Remy…seriously!" She huffed as the man leading her failed to say anything on the matter.

"What's more important Cher, can't you miss a day of work to help change your life?" He turned to her and gave a simple look that said 'sort your priorities out love'

"…But I kinda really need this job," She huffed, digging her phone out her bag only to yelp as the small touch screen was swiped from her hand.

"Hey! What are you doing!" She yelped as the accented man began fiddling with her phone before placing the device to his ear.

"Afternoon," He started off the conversation as who ever he had called answered.

"This is Doctor…" There was the tiniest pause as Gambit's eyes flashed around the area.

"Wilson,"

With a frown, Lucy gaped at him in utter confusion before she turned to see what he was looking at and frowned at the sign of the wear house behind.

Wilson and Son Storage

Turning back to face the gambler again with the same look for pure confusion she decided to wait.

"Yes, I'm callin' on behalf of Lucy Embers, her health has deteriorated and I 'ave ordered her bed rest although she is determined to work so please give her none, for the next week or so," He tapped his foot impatiently, his whole presentation very un-doctor like.

"Well unless you like your staff droppin' down dead I suggest other wise," With a raise of his brows he waited before finally giving a satisfied nod.

"Yes, thank you," And with that he hung up and held her phone back towards her.

"I with held your number," He stated, giving a light frown, as she only seemed to stare at him.

"Doctor Wilson?" Her brows slowly rose to a questioning degree.

"…Ok! How do you know my surname, _and_…did you just call my work pretending to be a doctor?"

"I saw your full name on your ID and yes… I did, you can thank me later, as for the name, I ain' feelin' to creative," He shrugged, and tosses her phone towards her, making her scramble to catch it.

With a frown she lovingly brushed it off and set it back into her bag.

"Let's get movin' Cher," He nodded.

"Sure thing…Doctor Wilson," Lucy grinned, her smile beaming like that of a coy cat.

000

"I don't get it! What am I supposed to be doing!" Lucy huffed throwing her arms up in the air.

"Concentratin' is a good start!" Remy shot back, in a clipped tone.

"I've tried! Stop getting arsy with me!" She defended with a frown.

"Then listen!" With a roll of his eye's the card player went threw his instructions again, explaining slowly that she has to recognise her power.

"You wanna' think 'bout what you wanna' do and pause, ok?" He sat in a sprawled lounge across a few crates in one of the empty wear houses, a simple card dangling between his fingers, his face carved out of pure boredom.

"Why am I pausing?" Lucy called from across the distance she was made to stand at.

"To get familiar with what your power feels like to you," He huffed.

"Once you got that it's like 'avin' a gun, you're all loaded, now you jus' gotta shoot,"

Lucy blinked, thought about what was said and gave a determined nod, the long pause that followed quickly showing she didn't understand.

"…What?" She chirped, only to watch as Gambit's head dropped back with a loud groan.

"Cher! You're killin' me 'ere! Jus' think 'bout what you wanna do!"

Clenching her fist with a hard glare, Lucy gritted her teeth together.

"I want that card to blow up in your fucking face!" She spat in irritation, glaring at the card and visualising the small item lighting up like a flare, the bubbling sensation pulsing from her chest and travelling with her blood in an odd tingle.

With a loud hissed curse, Remy jumped from his seat as the card he held burst into spontaneous purple flames, quickly flicking the item away and ducking as it gave a small pop, purple flaming confetti raining down happily from the once playing card.

Remy's green eyes narrowed at the burnt paper, flicking his hand with a light hiss, trying to shake off the burn he received to the tip of his fingers.

Finally he turned to Lucy with a frown, his mood having suddenly darkened due to that act but as soon as he caught sight of her, standing upright and rigid, her hand clamped over her, more than likely, gaping mouth and eyes wide in utter shock and disbelief as she stood bolted to the floor, he sighed.

Pushing a hand threw his unruly hair he looked down at the ground before deciding to turn the situation around.

"Alright! Before you burnt my hand off…what did you feel?"

Slowly letting her hand drop from her, indeed, gaping mouth, Lu let out a squeak before giving a shrug.

"I dunno… I was annoyed… then I wanted that to happen and as I thought about it… I felt all…bubbly?" With a blink of her shocked eyes she then gave a shrug.

"Guessin' dat's in den," He shrugged.

"Wow… I felt all charged up," She rambled to herself.

"Yeah, and you where ready to shoot, thanks for aimin' at me," Gambit shot sarcastically.

"Well I'm sorry… but I don't learn well when people just shouting things at me!" She huffed and crossed her arms.

"Think of the plus Cher, least we're gettin' some where!" A small grin turned up at the right corner of his lips as he strode towards her and warped an arm around her shoulders, turning her to the door they snuck threw.

"This causes for celebrations!" He added with a smug grin.

000

He he... i don't see Remy being a very paitent teacher... some how... just like how i don't see Lucy being a very good student

there's only one way this can go...and that's detention with a whole lotta F's


	9. Chapter 9

... actually had most of this one done XD

just had to finish it... tee hee

whoops

I is sorry

:D

* * *

9: Snap!

"Hold it," Remy's soft accent murmured as he crossed his arms on the table between Lucy and himself, looking down at the back of the playing card he had just shown her as an eight of hearts.

"Wait," He dragged on, glancing a quick look at the woman across from him, her face was of utter concentration, her jaw clamped tightly in effort as her eyes stayed in a thoughtful glare towards the card.

"I am!" She barked threw her clenched teeth, hands gripping so tightly at the edge of the round, darkly varnished table, it might actually snap.

"Aw, Chère! Now where has dat attitude got us? Don' let the angry thoughts surface, you know what happens," He mock scolded with a grin, watching as her irritation bubbled, pulling a small twitch at her left eye.

"Yer… you get burnt," She almost growled, her fingers now drumming in irritation, but as she forced herself to think, she knew he was right.

"Alright, ready?" He perked, choosing to ignore her little snipe.

With a small hmm and firm nod of her head she concentrated harder on the card, having been sat in an uncomfortable buzz. Gambit had told her to look at the card and think about changing it's suit, but wait until he told her what suit and specific card he wanted. All in all, she had a long wait which she soon clocked onto her getting used to the feeling of readying her power, she felt like she was charging, first it started off with a bubble in her chest that fizzed along her body with her blood flow and now she was indeed utterly buzzing and ready to let the energy out on changing the card.

"Ace of spades!" He shot quickly and instantly flipped the card, it had only taken the card being spoken to her for it all to happen, and after all the pent up energy she had held back while waiting, the card had flared an almighty purple flash, much like a giant camera going off and permanently capturing the Ace of spades.

"I hate that card!" Lucy groaned as she flopped back into her seat, heaving a relieved sigh before quickly looking around the quite pub where the few people that were in there had all turned their beady eyes towards them.

With a sudden stiffness in her posture she turned a wide-eyed look to the only too calm and completely casual gambler across from her.

A couple of elder gents at the bar behind Gambit leaned closer to each other to whisper their suspicions.

"I told you to stop it!" Lucy suddenly barked with so much outrage it caused Remy and half the occupants in the pub to jump. Gambit's eyes flicked up to stare at the woman's glaring face in utter shock while the men at the bar quickly hushed their whispers to watch curiously.

"I hate pictures and no one wants to be disturbed with that stupid blinding flash, it's a total pain so pack it in!" She huffed in irritation, crossing her arms as Remy opened his mouth to speak only to find he wasn't sure on what he wanted to say.

With a shake of her head she tilted to the side to look around Remy and towards the two men stood further behind him at the bar.

"Sorry," She smiled sheepishly, holding up a hand in a small, thankful jester before flicking her eyes around to catch any one else's gaze and give them an apologetic smile.

When all had finally settled Lu crossed her arms over the table and dropped her head down onto them with a huff.

"You did good," Gambit chirped after a small pause and patted her head.

"Thanks," She mumbled into the table before lifting her head and resting her chin on her arms and blinking up at him.

"Why purple?" He sat back with his question, looking down at her curiously.

"What do you mean?" A small frown tugged at her brow before they set back in their peaceful, natural pose.

"Your eyes, that flash…the fire," He nodded to each thing and rolled his eyes at the last.

"What about them," Her shoulders shrugged awkwardly in her slump on the table.

"There all purple, when you use your…" with a quick look around Gambit lowered his voice and copied her way of sitting.

"When you use your _gift_, they take on the colour,"

"Well I dunno," She shrugged.

"Why do I have a _gift _at all?"

At that Gambit sat back with a nod.

"True,"

"Can we get food now," She then groaned, pushing herself to sit back up before picking up her glass of coke and peering into it, frowning lightly at the almost completely melted ice cubes, she did state she didn't want ice.

000

"What are we doing here?" Lucy asked blankly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You wan' to eat!" Remy shrugged, striding into the gambling club and leaving her stood outside for a short while before she heaved a sigh and stepped in after him.

"Yer I mean food as in eat, not gamble your life away," She stated dully.

"They do food," He nodded.

"I'd hate to think what," Her nose scrunched up lightly as she looked around the familiar gambling bar, she had storming into to help a family member out and intern got herself mixed up with the odd man before her.

"Whoa!" A burly voice cheered before a large hand clamped down on Lucy's shoulder.

"Where do you think your going little miss!" The bouncer grumbled.

"Ur…How old do you think I am!" Lu shot in irritation, scowling at the large, should be intimidating man.

"I am not underage! You want my ID to check?" She continued with attitude, raising her brows towards the man.

"She's fine!" Gambit reappeared, holding a hand up in apology to the bouncer, who gave a slow nod and backed off.

"Bloody knuckle dragger," Lucy grumbled.

000

"I don't wanna learn!" She hissed.

"Poker's a good game Cher," Gambit shrugged while the three other men around the table chuckled.

With a grin Remy slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him, bringing his hand holding his cards in front of her face and closing her in as he held the cards in both hands.

Leaning closer to her ear Lucy instantly froze as he whispered softly to her.

"If I 'ad a king, dat would be me winnin' the game," He uttered so quietly _she_ could barely hear, and that's when it clicked.

Turning to face him with a glare, she found it difficult to recoil in their cosy, close position as she almost growled out.

"Is that a hint?"

When she received noting more than a smug grin she turned and scowled at the cards and with a bubble in her chest and idea in her head, she changed each one card blank.

"You're an ass!" She burst, pushing out of his arms and vaulting out of her seat.

With a defeated look at his blank cards Gambit heaved a sigh, dropping his head back slightly.

"Cher!" He called after her waiting to see if he got a reply, not even bothering to turn in his seat.

"My name is Lucy!" She screeched back right before the doors slammed shut.

000

Storming down the path in utter rage Lucy had to bite her tongue and hard, other wise she'd end up looking like the odd crazy person that scuttled on by muttering to themselves. Her jaw clamped firmly, her teeth almost at splitting point and the muscles of her cheeks flaring with fury as she thundered on, glaring so intently at the path ahead it started to give her a banging head ache.

"I should have bloody known!" She finally grumbled, fisting her hands into her pockets, trying to relax her brows and get rid of the furious glare.

She had headed strait for the under ground, passing threw the ticket barriers as she fished her phone out, quickly skimming threw the two text messages, one from her phone company and one from her gorgeous friend, Mathew.

She calmed some what as she looked over the text, giving a small smile at the fact a friend wanted to meet for coffee, so she decided to accept, she could have something to eat then as well.

000

Gambit sat mulling over his blank cards with a look of indifference, lazily bringing a hand to a small pile of notes and plucking them away from his half drank beverage, giving the money a careless toss into the middle of the table.

He had decided to continue playing the game, despite his cards now being blank and the awfully irritating stabbing that was beating around his mind about the woman that had just stormed out half an hour ago.

He wasn't sure if he felt guilty and wondered if he should apologise or irritated she had blown her top on him and changed his cards, either way the niggling in his mind was a result of her.

"I fold," One of the men mumbled, placing his cards down and with a raised brow Gambit looked up at the man that had spoken before turning to the other players of the table, finding that only one man still sat with his cards in play.

"All in?" Gambit offered with a grin, unsure how he had managed to get so far in the game with blank cards and no in put what so ever.

"I fold," The last man grumbled, causing a taunting smirk to tug at Gambit's lips as he gave a shrug and raked the winnings forwards.

"Well gentlemen, that was a surprisin'ly effortless game," He grinned, stacking the blank cards together, giving them a quick look but instantly finding himself entranced at the suits started to fade back, the cards returning to their original pictures like a purple paint brush was drawing them back in till finally the correct colours came threw.

His face turned to a more serious look as he shuffled threw the restored cards, his brows knotting in a light frown as he placed the cards down and stood, taking a slow look around only to find that Lucy had not returned, the cards changed back them self.

"Evenin' gentlemen," He gave a nod, not forgetting his winnings before he vanished.

000

"I'm glad I got your text Mat, I really needed a clam down," Lucy sighed, massaging away the stress by circling her fingers against her temples before picking up her large drink.

"Why, what's up?" The light haired man perked his brows as he picked up his coffee.

"Ugh just some stupid guy," She grumbled into the large cup she was holding under her chin.

"Ooo, a guy! Not like you to have guy troubles missy!" He lit up with a grin, instantly putting his cup down and looking more intrigued.

"So what's he like? Devilishly good looking," He enquired with a bat of his eyelashes.

"Arrogant pain in the ass would better suit," She continued to grouch.

"Would I like him?" The rather girlish Mat smiled with a hopeful look.

"Well I don't know, depends if you like assholes," Lucy frowned, finally setting her mug down.

"Oh, I like," He nodded with a suggestive raise of his brows.

"Aw! Mathew!" Lucy instantly cringed, causing her gay friend to laugh.

"I could have done with out that!" She giggled, all thoughts of Gambit drifting from her mind as she laughed along with her dirty minded friend.

* * *

Hmmmmmm

do you think Gambit will make peace?

Or will he vanish?


	10. Chapter 10

hello... once again

=]

* * *

10: Coffee Break

"So, what does he look like?" Mat grinned, dragging out the question with a teasing tone.

"Aw Mathew! Seriously!" Lucy rolled her eyes with a groan.

"Yeah! Come on, I wanna know! Do you have any pics?" He grinned, scooting around the cushioned corner bench they sat on and gave her shoulder a nudge.

"No! I absolutely do not have any pictures!" She cleared with a cringe.

"He is good looking though?" Mathew then asked with raised brows and an encouraging nod.

"Well, yeah," She scrunched her nose lightly as she thought about it.

"Ok! I need details here love! I can't read minds!" He turned to mock scolding, giving her a raised brow look and causing her to laugh.

"So what are we working with here? Tall, dark and handsome?" Mat offered helpfully.

"Yeah I guess," She gave a one-shouldered shrug.

"Ooo, check you!" He grinned, giving her another nudge and getting another small laugh.

"Is he…clean cut or more worn and ruggish?" Again his questions came.

"Dunno, he's not majorly ruggish, like lumber jack, animal ruggish, just…" Lucy trailed off with a mumble as she thought.

"A bit of bite not chomp, I get it!" He waved away causing Lucy to snort out a laugh and quickly slap a hand to her mouth to stop it.

"Never herd that one before," She giggled.

"He good or bad?" At this he gave a wiggle of his brows while Lucy just scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Well he ain't good, now come on lets go!" She huffed, standing from her seat and grabbing her bag, her friend in toe.

"My hair was proper frizz this morning, I had to straiten my long bits!" Mathew chatted, stroking his fringe and the longer front layers his hair was styled into.

Lucy simply gave a nod, rather irritated once again that Gambit had crossed her mind, she didn't want or need guy troubles and defiantly not with him.

"Aw, you don't know how to deal with your guy troubles," Mat pouted, poking fun at her as he slung and arm around her shoulder as she opened the door for them both.

"Don't worry love, I'll help you!" He carried on, puffing out his chest and causing a smile to light her face.

"Aw my hero! What would I do with out you!" She laughed, wrapping her arms around his middle in a side hug.

"I'd dread to think!" Mathew over acted a cringe, getting another laugh from his friend as they both stepped down from the door of the café, pausing as a man, hurtled past them in a sprint.

Lucy jumped with wide eyes and froze; looking after the man as he instantly skidded to a halt and backtracked, stopping in front of her and Mathew before turning and pointing towards her.

"You…are a hard lady to find!" He huffed in his thick accent.

"Obviously not hard enough," She muttered rolling her eyes to look away from Gambit.

"Well, you never said he had an accent," Mathew mumbled quietly, bowing his head so he could whisper it to her.

"I never said a lot," She whispered back.

"Well I like, you don't want him, I will!" He grinned in his whisper causing Lucy to shake her head.

Gambit gave a light frown as he looked between the two as they stood rather cosy together, her arms around him and his arm around her, his eyes then rested on the light haired Mathew with curiosity before he bluntly questioned.

"Who's he?" He jabbed a thumb towards her gay friend while she brought a hand to rest on her hip, still keeping her other arm loosely around Mathew's waist, while he kept his arm around her shoulders.

"Jealous?" Mathew instantly questioned with a grin, causing Lucy to raise her brows at she simply watched on as the question caused his jaw to drop.

Gambit closed his once gaping mouth and turned to the man with a frown as Mathew tightened his grip on Lucy, hugging her close.

"I would be!" He grinned, watching as a very un-amused look fell over the accented man's face.

"Don't worry! I'm single!" Mathew was quick to taught with a wink, releasing his friend with a laugh.

"Right! I'm off sexy!" He gave her a light smack on the bum, to which she didn't even react.

"Alright babes, see you," She smiled and waved as he strutted off.

When she finally turned back to Gambit she soaked in his confused, shocked, irritated glare before stating.

"That was my gay friend Mathew," She spoke flatly.

"Yeah, I got as much," He nodded.

"Not at first you didn't," Lucy grinned and started on her way home, walking past him.

"And sorry to disappoint, he's not single," She grinned.

"No disappointment 'ere Cher!" He stated truthfully with a shake of his head.

"You let all the guys you know tap your backend?" He then questioned, the hopeful tone of his voice causing her to turn to him with raised brows and upon seeing his grin she frowned.

"No!" She cut bluntly.

"So, why'd you find me?" She sighed, taking on a slow walk.

"Well, 'em cards you so kindly turned blank turned back to normal after half an hour," He stated, falling into step with her.

"More questions? Fun," Lucy gave a sigh, her shoulders sagging somewhat with irritation.

"Did you think of 'em?" He raised a brow towards her.

"No, because that would mean thinking of you, and when I met up with Mathew my mind was blissfully clear and made the head ache you caused, vanish," She shot him a frown before suddenly speeding up.

"Wait! Wait, wait!" He called trying to slow her down.

"So the cards came back coz you weren' thinkin' of 'em, right?" He stepped up next to her and watched as she gave a nod

"Sounds a good enough reason," She shrugged

"…Den how come, my queen of hearts didn' come back after you switched her?" He continued, raising a brow towards her.

"Well… it was an accident, I didn't know I did it and I can hardly forget about something I don't even recall doing!" She threw her hands up with her shrug before looking both ways and crossing the road.

"Makes sense," Gambit mumbled with a shrug before following after her.

000

"I'm thinkin' we should experiment," Gambit called vaulting the ticket barrier while Lucy put her ticket threw.

"No!" She instantly barked, giving him a frown.

"Aw come on Cher!" he tilted his head back with a groan.

"No! I don't trust you, you used me! You lying, arrogant, twat! Leave me alone!" She whacked him on the arm and stormed off.

"Ow! …Cher!" He rubbed his arm lightly and followed after her.

"Come on! Gambit's sorry," He offered, trying to get to her but finding himself wedged out the way by a small group of people that had all filed onto the same escalator as Lucy.

"Cher, I want to help you," He called down to her.

"I said leave me alone!" Lucy called back, crossing her arms from where she was stuck on the large escalators heading down to the underground, people having decided to clog up the whole escalators, preventing her from moving anywhere.

"And I said I'd help! Der ain't no gettin' rid of me Cher!" Gambit called back from where he stood a few steps higher, blocked from getting to the woman only four steps down.

"You ain't helping! You're a user!" She turned and shouted back up at him.

"Aw, you cut me real deep with dat one!" He placed a hand over his chest as if that was the area in pain and gave a roll of his eyes.

"You ain't felt nothing yet love!" She shot back.

"Oi! Lady, we all had a bad day too, now I don't need some prissy little pms-ing bitch, in my face!" A balding man yelled, dressed in a dark grey suit and scowling so bad it brought all his wrinkles out.

"Hey! Dat ain't no way to be talkin' to a lady!" Gambit frowned, a look of distaste instantly falling over his face.

"She ain't a lady!" The arrogant, balding man scoffed, turning back to look down at Lucy with a sneer.

"She's nothing but a stuck up, winging little madam that needs to be put in her place," He leaded towards her with a scowl, while Lucy's jaw dropped like a led weight.

She never saw her self as stuck up and sure she had a whine every now at then but who doesn't?

"W-why you..!" She stumbled, obviously shocked at the vulgar man, just starting to lean back from him when he was luckily ripped from her view.

She had to jump to attention and clear her eyes with a hard blink before looking around for the man, soon finding him in a vice grip by the only person she knew on the escalators.

Gambit had flown down the few steps, reached past the one person in his way and fisted his hand into the white shirt buttoned right up to the man's neck, yanking him from Lucy and towards him, tightening his grip that bit extra, the man's shirt now starting to dig into his own neck so bad the skin started turning red.

"You need to learn how to talk to a Lady properly, now, I suggest you apologise," Gambit's voice almost came out as a growl and Lucy couldn't help but watch with wide eyes.

"God! _Sorry_," The balding man spat like a thuggish teen who had been caught by police and forced to apologise, hardly meaning it and only saying it so he would be freed.

With a sudden thunderous look his grip worsened, causing a strangled gasp to jump from the man, right before Gambit forced him to turn, put a hand to the back of his balding head and knocked his head against the plastic conveyor belt of the moving railings before yanking the dazed man upright while Lucy jumped in surprise, tucking her arms into her chest to keep out the way as she watched wide eyed.

"Na, say sorry to the pretty lady like you mean it!" He taunted in a soft tone, like speaking to a child.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it… please," The elder man spluttered, his voice hitching up a notch and not only because of the grip Gambit had on him but because of the lump starting to build in his throat, before he whimpered out a small cry, his nose now bleeding.

With a satisfied nod, Gambit pushed the man back and took his place, letting the grovelling man fall back into the legs of the stunned witnesses and sit on the metal steps.

Lucy blinked up at Gambit next to her a step up, unsure on what to say, giving a look to the man still sat, wiping his bloody nose in his sleeve.

"You're still not forgiven!" She then piped up, turning to face the right way as she finally came to the bottom of the escalators and jumped off.

"I can live with dat for the moment!" He nodded, again following after her.

* * *

LONDON UNDERGROUND! london underground!

...when ever i thin of the London underground the song just pops into my head an it makes me giggle

he he


	11. Chapter 11

hello!

back again!

had sum drama with this one... managed to spill coke on my laptop then delete the chapter before i had a chance to save it while i was cleaning up the coke... twaz cherry coke...stupid drink.

so i had to try and remember everything i wrote but things kept slipping and i got annoyed coz i couldn't remember every detail i put in and omg i had to brainwave new things quickly!

UGH!

NEW RULE!

no more drinks while working before i have saved it!

* * *

11: Barriers

"Ok, say I trust you," Lucy stopped her walk and held her hands out to pause Gambit in his.

"Would you just use me?" A brow rose on her face as she waited to hear what he probably wouldn't admit.

"Chéri, course I wouldn'!" He gave a light frown, almost as if he was outraged at the idea.

"So you wouldn't take me gambling and make me change cards so you would win?" She blinked up at him, both brows now raised towards her hairline, watching as his brain mulled over the words that came from her lips.

"It would benefit us both," He shrugged.

"I knew it!" She blew.

"You only want to use me for your own personal gain!" She jabbed her index finger into his chest with a hard prod.

"Dat ain't true," He stated with a shake of his head.

"You utter liar!" She scoffed with a laugh, her brows knotting in a disbelieving frown.

"The only reason your '_helping_' me is so you can use me!" She huffed, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"Wrong again Cher, dat idea jus came to me when you got better with the card illusion," He shrugged off.

"Thanks for your honesty, most people would deny and apologise," She crossed her arms and looked away, peering further down the rounded walls of the tunnel they stood in.

"Incase you haven' noticed Cher, I ain't most people," He gave a small grin.

"I did notice," She mumbled, scrunching her nose lightly like there was a sour taste on her tongue before she turned back to him.

"And Incase _you_ haven't noticed, I won't take any of your conning, pretty boy shit!" She scowled, turning on her heels and heading of once again only to quickly spin back to shout a bit more that was lingering on her mind.

"And your just as disrespectful and vulgar as the man you beat up, you're still not forgiven so leave me alone," She spat before heading off on her way yet again.

"I ain't ever disrespected you Cher!" He stated.

With a light frown Gambit watched as she strode off, straitening out as he thought over the observations he couldn't help but keep of her, watching her body language, her emotions and facial expressions and he had seen threw enough poker faces to know she couldn't keep hers up.

She was scared and he could see that, terrified at what she could do and what she couldn't control, she had little understanding of what she had become and it truly scared her, she knew there was no one else that could help, no one that she knew or that she trusted, and that was what she wanted, she wanted help from someone she could trust, trust fully and Gambit could see from everything she did, she wasn't sure if she could trust him, and she wanted to, she just couldn't bring herself to and Gambit was in no way shape or form going to make it any easier for her to trust him, purely because it helped keep barriers between them.

"Who else do you 'ave?" He finally called after her, having watched her walk away, leaving a drag of silence before he spoke, forcing himself not to show a smug grin as he saw her steps slow and falter till she had to pause.

"What?" A light frown tugged down at her brows, though she did not turn.

"Who else do you 'ave?" He questioned slower.

Pressing her lips together she thought quick and hard, looking down to the ground in hopes it might hold the answer.

"I'll find someone," She stated quietly, looking over her shoulder and twisting her body lightly to face him.

"Is not what I asked Chéri," He shook his head lightly, before striding towards her, only slowing to a stop when he was right in front of her, causing her to have to turn to face him head on then take a step back because of the closeness.

"You don' 'ave anyone else able to help you," He stated.

"How would you know," She frowned.

"Cher I'm the only one that can help you, I 'ave dealt with more mutants than you 'ave walked past strangers," He gave her a stern serious look, with a harsh eye contact which she withered away under almost instantly, averting her gaze to the side.

"And you find me attractive," The serious look was washed away the moment his cocky grin turned up at his lips and instantly Lu snapped her attention back to him.

"No I don't!" She shot quickly, the words coming out so fast to correct what he thought it actually stabbed at his ego.

"You have some nerve! Now you might not give a shit but this is my life and I care! You need your head bringing right back down to size, I don't need someone who is just going to lie and use mmm!" She frowned with a muffled shout as her rant was hushed the moment Gambit clamped a hand over her mouth.

With a few more outraged, muffled insults Lucy tried to push him away and free her mouth only for him to hook an arm around her back and keep her to him.

"Shh," He hissed, looking down the way they had just come, a frown setting on his face.

Lucy had instantly calmed, looking around rather helplessly with wide eyes, patiently waiting to be freed, her face heating up the slightest as she regarded the tight hold she was trapped in.

Dropping his hand away from her mouth now that she was silent he then dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a single card, his eyes staying trained on the tunnel entrance as he turned the card in his fingers patiently.

Lucy peeked up at him sheepishly, her lips parting in astonishment as a new colour burned from his pupils, turning the iris red and the whites black.

"Go, now," He ordered, pushing her forwards in the original way she was heading.

"Why?" She questioned, stopping herself after the shove.

"Just go, get on the train," His voice hardened as he refused to look back at her and with confused frown she took a step back, then another before turning and doing as she was told.

She wanted to get away from him any way, she wanted him to leave her alone, so she was fine with just walking away, that's what she kept telling herself and after only managing a short distance she looked back as other foots steps that where not her own sounded. She watched Gambit slowly striding back down the tunnel they had come down and with a burst of panic as she remembered the night she was told to hide then run, because of the animalistic man that had attacked and instantly a chill shot threw her and she stopped. Turning with wide eyes her chest swelled as she struggled to bring in more air, terrified for the man that was protecting her from something she had no clue on and that's when she bolted, running back down the tunnel towards Gambit, not even slowing her speed as she skidded into the back of him and grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

"I'm not leaving with out you again!" She stated, tugging him back a step and causing him to turn to her with a confused frown.

"Thought you hated me?" He frowned.

"Hate is a strong word and I tend to overreact so come on!" Again she tugged him, successful in turning him to face the right way to get to the train.

"I can't, I 'ave to make sure they don' find you, so I'll hold 'em off, you go," He nodded towards the end of the tunnel where the frequent train was running.

"Just come on!" She frowned, slightly irritated at his heroics.

"It's noble and all but I'd feel much better if you were with me!" She blurted honestly and instantly both his brows rose towards her in an amused shock.

"…I…I hate worrying!" She recovered after clocking on to his look and turning away with embarrassment, she hadn't meant for it to sound quite so lovingly needy.

With nothing more than a look at the tunnel entrance Gambit slipped the card away, his eyes returning to a human colour as he grabbed her hand and darted down the rounded wall walkway and towards the platform, Lucy giving a small squeak as she was pulled off.

Their fast pace pounded with each step till they reached the platform skidding to a halt and frowning as the red lights on the last carriage disappeared into the dark tunnel.

All Lucy could think was 'uhoh' while Gambit's thoughts where far more colourful.

"They're every five minutes or so," Lucy chirped quietly, giving a tiny cringe.

"We don' 'ave that kind of time Cher," He stated, a frown pulling at his brows as he pulled her down the platform and towards the exit. He only just managed to peek around the corner before jumping back as he spotted two men, one in a black suit, white shirt and completed with a black tie and the other wearing a red vest top.

He pressed Lucy against the large cured, tiled wall and looked back along the platform where another figure appeared, walking with a light hunch in a long tattered coat.

Panicked Lucy stared wide-eyed at the larger man, she hadn't seen the other two and she didn't care, they where not the ones that had attacked that night, the animal now standing on the platform was. He turned his head to check further up the platform before his head craned slowly, turning towards Lucy and Gambit.

Instantly a card was in his hand again as his eyes stayed on the large animal like man before turning to the exit were the other two where closing in.

"Please don't see us!" Lucy cringed, fear and dread bubbling in her chest and flowing threw her every fibre as she pinched her eyes closed, reaching blindly to hook her fingers into the back of Gambit's coat.

He acknowledged her touch and stepped back lightly, closing her in to help keep her hidden and protected as he heard her desperate whisper.

Soon his eyes had returned to crimson, as he scowled towards the animalistic man as he turned to fully face their way, his broad face dropping with a snarl as he marched forwards with heavy steps.

"I think you got it wrong!" a tall handsome man taunted, crossing his arms with a smug grin.

The suited man simply rolled his eyes with disinterest as the man next to him nudged him.

"Their here!" The broad man growled, scanning the area again with a harsh sniff.

"No you're right, their disguised as the businessman who is deciding whether he should throw himself onto the tracks!" He spoke in a patronising tone, his hand held out in a flat gesture to point out a dull looking man in a grey suit, clutching his brief case while staring intently at the tracks.

Gambit looked between the men in confusion, his stance having not moved an inch from Lucy who continued to shake in fear, rambling quietly to herself.

"I can't see you so you can't see me," She muttered, and with that said Gambit looked over his shoulder and down at her, keeping silent, not wanting to disturb her encase what ever it was she was doing stopped.

It wasn't too long before the three men parted ways; the large man far more irritated than the other two and Gambit could relax somewhat, slipping his card away and letting his eyes drift back to normal as the train approached with a sudden rattling and loud screech as the brakes were put on, the automatic doors giving a hiss as they opened and people jumped off and filed for the exit.

One youthful man jumped down and headed strait towards Gambit and Lucy, his head bowed as he tottered on his phone. Gambit watched as the boy crossed a unseen barrier, a jolt of purple cracks jotting out from where he passed threw before disappearing, the boy then looked up with a gasp before jumping back.

"Sorry man, didn't see you there," He breathed, giving a nod with his apology before heading off.

Gambit followed the kid with his eyes, still baffled before he felt pressure on his back and looked over his shoulder once again to Lucy, she had rested her forehead against his back and with a light frown he instantly spun and caught her as she started to slip away.

"Cher?" He had her held upright by her upper arms and gave her a light shake as her eyes fluttered with concentration and strain of staying open, the purple in her eyes fading to brown as they finally closed and rested.

"Cher?" He frowned as she instantly went limp, her head falling back and body buckling under, the hold Gambit had on her arms being the only thing that stopped her from hitting the floor.

Lowering her into a sit on the platform he then wrapped an arm around her back to keep her sat upright and guided her head back into place and tapped her cheek lightly only for her head to drop forwards unresponsive.

With a sigh, Gambit took a look around to weigh up his options before scooping an arm under her knees and lifting her into his arms as he stood, shifting her so her head was resting against his shoulder rather than hanging, saving her from neck ach at the least.

"Should 'ave jus' done as you where told," He scolded her lightly with a shake of his head, quickly jumping on the tube train.

* * *

ok... so this was the re built chapter

and as you can see...

...they still have issues

Lucy more so with Gambit

Gambit couldn't really care all too much... or does he ¬¬ ... hmmmmm we shall find out

:O


	12. Chapter 12

again

no coke spills on this one :D

yaaaaaaaaaay

xxx

* * *

12: Xcuse me?

Stirring lightly Lucy inhaled deeply before squinting her eyes, lifting a hand lazily to her head and dropping it against her forehead before finally opening her eyes.

With a light frown she looked around her room like it was the oddest place on earth to be, slowly pushing herself up on her bed and looking around once again.

She looked down at her self in confusion, still wearing her clothes and sitting on her bed, not even under the covers.

Rubbing at her eyes with a groan she leaned over her lap lightly before letting her hands drop down onto her thighs frowning at the smudged mascara and eyeliner over her fingertips instantly causing another groan.

Heaving a huff she then swung her legs off the bed and pushed her self up, her vision dotting with tiny black specks and knocking her balance from her.

She hit her bedroom floor with a crash, having bounced off her wall before she hit the ground.

"Bloody hell Lu! You still wasted?" A loud bang rapped on the door as Carol called out to her.

Blinking hard her vision soon came back and she couldn't help but sit bolt upright, having not blacked out much before.

"That was weird!" She chirped, giving a panicked look around before pulling her self up, her hands shaking awfully and with a shaky breath she headed to her bedroom door and opened it to show her short haired house mate.

"You look like crap, sort it out," Carol simply scrunched her nose and headed down stairs when she realised there was no real drama.

"Must have been a good night!" She called from some where on the ground floor while Lucy shook her head lightly and followed after.

"Where did you go?" Carol questioned from the kitchen and Lucy headed her way, opening a cupboard and picking out a pint glass.

"From what I remember… the underground," She stated with a frown, heading to the sink and pouring herself some water.

"Yeah, you look like you've been to hell and back," The shorthaired woman nodded.

"No, the underground as in, London underground," Lucy frowned lightly before taking a long chug from the pint of water, managing to down the entire thing.

"You must have been wrecked! What did you drink!" Carol laughed.

"What makes you think I was drinking? And how did I get back?" She frowned lightly.

"Well you rocked up about ten and made one hell of a noise coming in, I think you fell a few times, but I couldn't be asked to get up and check," She shrugged while Lucy continued to frown in thought.

"The last thing I remember…" She trailed off, her eyes dropping to the glass in her hand before she turned and placed it in the sink.

"I'm going for a shower," She huffed and headed off.

000

With one last stroke of mascara Lucy packed up her makeup, having redone her face with shimmering neutral colours on her eyelids with liquid liner following her lash line and flicking at the end.

Standing her re-wrapped the lilac towel around her torso to make sure it didn't fall, not that it mattered, it was only her and her room, she then leaned forwards and tipped her head upside down, pulling the towel from her head that had her hair wrapped up and gave it a rough towel dry, causing her hair to go into scruffy waves which she flicked back as she stood upright, ruffling the towel to the back of her head just as a low, slow whistle sounded and Lucy's eyes instantly snapped up to the mirror, focusing on the reflection that was not hers and instantly freaked, flinging the towel with a chirped scream as she spun wildly, the man instantly jumping forwards to calm her but only succeeding in panicking her more.

She flung her arms out with a scream that was instantly cut off with a hand clamping to her mouth as the man threw himself at her, she in turn flailed like a useless lunatic and tried to run only for the man to wrap an arm around her stomach and pull her back into him, his hand still keeping her quiet as she turned for kicking out, gripping at his arms, causing him to stumble back into the full length mirror on her wardrobe door, the wooden door giving a bang and causing the entire unit to rock with the weight of the two.

"Cher!" The accented man hissed, giving the woman a light shake and instantly her struggling stopped, her eyes wide and breathing coming out in panicked huffs threw her nose.

She mumbled his name in question into his hand, her hands still clutching tightly at his arms.

"Yes, now calm down!" He frowned and slowly released her and instantly the woman flew away from him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? And how the hell did you get in!" She scowled, gripping the top of her towel as well as the bottom, the wrap having loosened in her struggle.

"Get out!" She squeaked trying to cover up more.

"Window, and nothin's wrong with me Cher," He huffed before rubbing the back of his head where he banged it against the wardrobe, ignoring her squeaked order.

"What are you doing here?" She continued to frown.

"Jus' makin' sure your still breathin'," He shrugged.

"You managed to do a new trick, drain your energy and knock your self out," He raised a brow as he looked over her.

"Oh," She chirped lightly, lifting a hand from the bottom of the towel to run it threw her damp hair.

"How did I get back?" She turned back to him with a questioning look only to frown once again as she noticed he had to bring his eyes back up to hers.

"How'd you think?" He grinned.

"I dunno…" Lucy mumbled sheepishly.

"I 'ad to carry you, almost dropped you a few times," he stated.

"Thanks for the honesty," She sighed with a flat look.

"…again," She rolled her eyes.

"You 'ave too many shoes at the front door and a hair dryer on the stairs ain't safe!" He pointed towards her with a serious look.

"Not mine!" She instantly blurted.

"Can you… get out so I can finish getting ready and change?" She then raised her brows towards her hairline.

"Well Cher, I came to check up on you… but I stayed for the show," A grin pulled at his lips, one corner raising higher than the other while Lucy's face blasted with heat.

"So please, continue," He nodded, leaning back against her wardrobe and crossed his arms as he watched her with his cunning grin.

With a stunned gawp Lucy was quick to scoff and collected the pile of clothes she had picked out and rushed past him, bursting for the bedroom door.

"You forgot summit Cher," He gave a coy grin, peering up to her from where he remained leaning against her wardrobe, one arm crossed over his chest while the other arm was at a ninety degree angle, his hand held flat, the palm facing the ceiling and fingers curled in except for his index finger where a delicate pair of white, lace French knickers where hooked from his finger.

With a frown she quickly snatched them away from him and stormed from the room in utter embarrassment, leaving Gambit to chuckle as the bedroom door was slammed shut.

He was soon busying himself with rooting around her bedroom in her absence, picking up odd items and putting them back, he soon came to a wall littered in pictures, they where all rather sunny looking and the pictures seemed to show the same few people, Lucy being one of them, Gambit sussed it as her holiday wall and spotted one picture of Lucy, she was sat cross legged in the sand wearing denim shorts and a loose, long white tank top, her hair in messy waves, from where she had probably had a dip in the sea, a large artificial daisy was clipped in her hair above her left ear and she was smiling up at the camera, the sun full on her face, brightening her eyes nicely as she cupped a large 2 litre bottle of Coca-Cola in her hands.

Although the picture was standard and there was nothing particularly sexy or stunning about the woman in it, it was for that fact he was drawn in, she was unknowing and innocently sweet, a smile as bright as the sun on her face, a smile he had yet to see from her.

When Lucy finally mustered the courage to come back into the room, fully dressed and with dry hair, she found Gambit laying on her bed, arms cross under the back of his head and legs crossed at the ankles.

"What are you doing?" She frowned lightly, walking over to the bedside table and picking up a large daisy clip.

"Chillin' your bed is comfy," He stated simply, watching her with a raised brow as she smiled lightly and popped the clip into her clean, fluffy hair just above her left ear, looking across the room to the mirror to see how it looked before taking it out and shaking her hair out, placing the clip back on the bedside table and turning away.

"You should try it," Gambit sat up and quickly hooked an arm around her waist and dragged her down, causing her to squeal in shock as he rolled her over him and let her drop on the double bed next to him as he sat over her.

"I do try it, I sleep in it every night," She laughed with a light shake of her head, watching him in confusion as he picked the clip off her bedside table and placed it back in her hair where she originally had it, her smile calming with her confusion.

"You hungry?" He raised his brows with a grin as he looked down at her.

"Yeah," She nodded before giving a suspicious look up at him.

"We're talking about food right!" a light frown pulled at her brows due to the incident from before when she only wanted food.

With a nod Gambit stood from the bed while Lucy rolled off the other side.

"You should smile more," He stated as he held the door to her room open, waiting for her.

"You should give me a reason to smile more," She answered smugly, picking a hat from her desk as she passed and placing it on Gambit's head with a pat as she went out the door.

000

"So your finally gunnu tell me who that man and is friends are and why they are after you?" She raised her brows with a small smile.

"Don't get to clingy, I ain't openin' my heart Cher," he leaned back with a grin.

"Oh I won't," Lucy was quick to scoff, yet again stabbing at his ego.

"What is it with you?" He voiced with astonishment.

"What?" Her brows rose as she turned back to him.

"Nothin' go get a seat," He nodded her off and she gave a light shrug and headed off to find a table, pulling at the long sleeves of the tan, cable knit jumper she wore, the neck line was at a low curve and the top ended at mid thigh.

She sat at a window table, swatting a bit of fluff from her light stone wash jeans before looking over her tan, leopard print uggs.

"Hello Lucy," A soothingly calm voice spoke almost with a smile, causing the youthful woman to look up with wide eyes, drinking in the image of the man before her, not a single hair on his head.

"May I sit here, I won't take much of your time," He smiled.

"Oh um…do I know you?" She questioned uncertainty.

"Not in the slightest, I'm Charles Xavier," He held a hand out with the same welcoming smile, which she took timidly, allowing the man to take the seat opposite her.

"I'm here about your powers," He lowered his voice, though he kept his smile, his eyes shining with interest, while Lucy paled her mind racing a mile a minute.

"It's nothing bad, I just want to discuss your powers, I know you have been rather panicked and I'm here to help you understand what you have become," He leaned forwards and Lucy did the same rather entranced.

* * *

soooooooooooooooo

who wants to know what she can do

eh eh

ohh noes! what if she is offered a knew teacher!

Would Gambit be left behind!

replaced by a more knowing person

:O


	13. Chapter 13

HALLOOOOOOOOOOO

iz every body ok?

...iz good

* * *

13: Learning Curve

"It really is quite fascinating, every power is unique," The bald man started off, resting his arms in the table.

"There are many types of mutants and the most common you'll find are thous with powers that enhance them physically and thous that are enhanced mentally," He linked his fingers together as he spoke and Lucy nodded lightly, seeming like she knew what he was talking about but in reality had no clue, she was simply leaving her mind open to soak everything up like a sponge.

"A mutant whose powers enhance them physically would have…" He paused as he thought quickly.

"Strength to match a hundred horses, impenetrable skin, and the ability to reach impossible speeds," He smiled as he described.

"The mutants whose powers enhance them mentally would be able to move objects with a simple thought, read minds, and create barriers," Emotion flew across his face as he spoke of the gifts mutants could have, keeping a smile and friendly atmosphere to himself, almost like a teacher telling a young student a story, keeping everything fun, upbeat and positive.

"Your slightly different from most," Xavier nodded towards her, instantly causing her to panic.

"Why?" She whispered hotly, wanting to know what was wrong with her.

"But not alone," He un-linked his fingers and held his hands out to stop her panicking, in which it did, allowing her to exhale deeply before she quickly remembered her sitter, looking over to the counter of the café and instantly rolling her eyes as she spotted Gambit leaning against the counter, chatting up the woman serving.

"So how am I slightly different?" She turned back to him with a question, deciding Gambit's short attention span and one-track mind would end up keeping him occupied.

"Well your power enhances you both physically and mentally," He looked up to her as she nodded.

"Your power enhances your body's energy levels and brings that energy out in a physical form," Xavier cupped his hands like he was holding an invisible ball.

"But you can not use it in a physical state," He then held a finger up, his eyes almost turning sharp with his knowledge.

"Say you brought your energy out and hit someone, it would just have no affect, your hit would be normal," He then gave a shrug before continuing.

"That is why your power has enhanced your mental ability as well, the physical form of your body's energy can only be controlled mentally, so if you did the same again, but this time mentally formed your physical energy, then it would have an impact," He nodded, a smile turning up at his lips.

"That all sounds very confusing," Lucy frowned with her honesty, looking rather lost.

"It is a lot harder for me to explain, when you can do it so simply," He chuckled.

"To shorten everything down, your physical energy levels can only be used when mentally formed," Charles then simplified.

"It is a balance between body and mind, and they will grow in strength together, just as they work together," He finished with a nod.

"So there are physically enhanced mutants, mentally enhanced mutants and mutants with a balance of both?" Lucy's brows rose toward her hair line slowly and she dumbly took everything in.

"Yes, but to find mutants with a balance of both are difficult, but not too rare," He smiled honestly.

"So what other powers would mutants with a balance of both have?" Lucy turned with curiosity, crossing her arms on the table.

Charles gave a quick ponder on the question, a light smile on his lips as Lucy seemed to question like an awe struck child.

"Teleportation, you would be mentally picturing where you wish to be and physically bringing your body to follow the image," He nodded with his answer.

"What about if some one could control fire? Would that be physical or mental?" She chirped with another question rather childishly.

"Ah, these are the more tricky areas, to physically control fire one would have fire in a physical sense, so their body may not react to the effects of fire and could take on a physical form of fire. To mentally control fire it would be the thought of taking fire from around them and using it or perhaps mentally creating fire," He rested his elbows on the table, linking his fingers once again but this time resting his linked fingers against his chin.

"And the same for other elements?" Lucy tilted her head lightly.

"Yes," The bald man gave a nod.

"But all I have done with my power is create illusions," She stated with some disbelief.

"You have brought your energy out in a physical form and used it mentally to create an illusion, so changing the faces of cards and making yourself unseen," He easily corrected.

"Take this sugar packet," He picked one from a small basket on the table and set it down in front of him.

"I can mentally push it towards you with my power and you can physically wrap it with your energy and mentally form your energy to move it back," He then looked down at the small packet, Lucy doing the same and gasping like a kid seeing a magic trick as it slid towards her, quickly looking around to see if anyone saw, causing the man opposite her to smile.

"Give it a go," He encouraged.

"I don't know how," Lucy was quick to squeak.

"Try," He simply nodded and with that said Lucy went to frowning at the sugar packet, her mind racing as she wondered what to do.

Finally she felt a buzz as she calmed some what, the odd sensation filling her as she looked at the packet, the wonder of how to move it still striking at her, it wasn't as easy as thinking of a card suit and number, this required more imagination and she found it difficult to imagine the unseen energy she was using, wrap around the packet, she the wondered if she had a little wall she could push it back far more easily, and that's when it clicked, she could see a wall far more easier in her head than she could an unseen power.

So with that thought in her head she put it to moving the sugar.

The packet of sugar stayed stationary to finally a spark of purple cracked in lines, fanning out from where the packet was touching the barrier and being pushed back towards the man sat opposite her.

"I did it," She frowned in shock, almost confused she had done it.

"Well done," Charles gave an amused smile, while Lucy looked simply pleased with herself and in turn tuning her attention span down slightly as the man opposite her had to try a few times to get her attention.

"Lucy… I'd like to offer you a place in my school," He smiled once finally getting her full attention.

"I'm a bit old for school don't you think?" She smiled lightly with a raise of her brows.

"It's a school for the gifted, such as your self, I have staff and facilities to help you train, control and understand your powers," He specified, helping to make the proposal sound more appealing.

000

"You sure you girlfriend won't mind?" The slender blonde wearing a green apron smiled coyly, leaning towards the cocky man chatting her up.

"Mon Chéri! I am single," Gambit grinned, standing up strait.

"Then whose the dark-haired girl you came in with," A slim brow rose on the working woman's face as she turned to look across the café at the suddenly detested stranger, instantly causing Gambit's grin to grow as he turned to take in Lucy as well.

"Aw, dat is just a frien…the hell is dat?" Remy suddenly scowled, spotting Lucy talking to another man.

"S'cuse me," He held a hand up to the blonde he was once chatting up with disinterest as he then slowly sauntered towards Lucy and the unknown man.

His frown turned into a scowl as he caught the man's offer, instantly causing him to jump in as he stepped by Lucy.

"She ain't no school kid, she has help here," Gambit frowned, catching Lucy's attention as she blinked up at him.

"She ain't goin'," He then decided, gripping Lucy's upper arm and tugging her up from her seat, which caused her to frown.

"I think that is Lucy's decision," The bald man nodded towards Lucy who intern gave a determined nod, frowning at the side of Gambit's face even though he never turned towards her to see it.

"I've seen people like you, gatherin' mutants with powers dat appeal to you, so what _you_ use 'em for?" Gambit almost growled at the man, thoughts of a not so far past being dragged up in his mind and instantly Lucy gawped in shock, thinking she had almost been dragged into some mutant experiment camp.

"I assure you my institute is purely for the welfare and well-being of the students that attend, helping them and allowing them to fit in where they may standout else where," Xavier frowned up a Gambit and his assumptions before nodding to Lucy.

"I'll leave you to think on in," He gave a light smile and held out a hand, which she shook with a 'good bye' before being pushed out by Gambit.

"Go, now," He ordered her simply to which she cringed but obliged, frowning in confusion as the woman working in the café gave her a non-to friendly look.

Lucy just simply stepped out the café, the wind whipping up her hair as she ignored the odd glare she got from the random woman and Gambit's odd behaviour, turning instead to what she had discovered, peeking down at the card handed over to her when she shook the bald man's hand.

000

"Keep out of my head and stay away from her," Gambit growled out, scowling down at the man still sat at the table.

"You honestly think your doing her any good?" Charles looked up at the gambler with a scoff.

"I've seen your plans, you'll end up ruining the poor girl, at least she'll have a chance if she came with me," He threw Gambit a dirty look.

"If you have any respect or feelings for that young woman you would leave her now and not continue on with this ridiculous, selfish plan of yours," the bald man, spoke up with strength and protection.

000

"Come on!" Gambit walked past Lucy, his tone short and clipped that caused Lucy to cringe.

"You ok?" She frowned lightly, jumping into a fast walk after him.

"Remy?" She called trying to catch up with his strides.

"Don't," He spun around with a glare and instantly Lucy shrunk stopping in her walk so she wouldn't bump into him.

"What?" She gulped, wide-eyed and fearful like a lamb being sent to slaughter.

She tugged at the ends of her sleeves nervously, covering her hands as a chill dropped in the air, the grey clouds opening up to a few spits of rain.

"I-I just want to know what's wrong, you don't seem too happy," She frowned lightly, having never seen Gambit so tense and angry, he had just suddenly turned cold and livid, he wasn't even like that when attacked by the large animalistic man.

"I'm fine Cher," He stated, his face stern.

"_Really_? You where fine before I talked to that man and now you are defiantly _not_ fine," She rose her brows as the light rain started.

"Jus' stop!" He held his hands out to quiet her.

"Stop what? That man had so many amazing things to say and now your acting like a pratt," She pointed towards him with a frown.

"And I want to know why, is what he said a lie?" She questioned with a frown.

"It's not what he said Cher," Gambit simply frowned.

"What is it then! What he thought?" She rolled her eyes.

"Summit like dat," The accented man turned and headed off, leaving Lucy to stand by her self as she wondered if she should follow or not. She didn't even know if he wanted her to follow, but she didn't want to turn and walk the opposite way, so she just stood at the end of the street where she was left, looking rather lost in the rain, her wool jumper quickly becoming water logged and heavy while her hair became damp and flat.

With a small huff she fiddled with the zip on her bag that sat at her hip, the long strap pulling at her shoulder as she tugged and pulled, trying to get the bag open so she could get her phone out. She soon gave up with a groan, the wet sleeve of her jumper covering her hand as she pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead and closed her eyes, trying to rid herself of the stress and mind block.

Someone had kindly shed some light on her situation and now the one person that was helping her, in a very unorthodox and selfish way, has gone moody and done a disappearing act.

"Why me," She whined out, the stress and confusion making her want to break down but she held her self together with a teary sniff, slipping the card handed to her by the bald man into the front pocket on her bag.

000

"You grow attached to easily, you know that," Carol stated from where she stood on the bottom step, blocking the stairs as she leaned on the banister, watching as her wet friend leaned against the door, kicking her shoes of lazily.

"Attached to what," Lucy mumbled moodily.

"Well, that guy you sneaked outta here earlier for a start," the scruffy haired woman raised her brows.

"I am not attached," The wet woman scowled.

"Yer, coz that ain't why your in a mood," Carol rolled her eyes.

"I can be moody at some twat with out being attached you know!" Lucy shot, turning on the defensive.

"No, ya see! That only works when it's a stranger, as soon as you get onto names… you get attached, as hard as you try not to," She then pointed towards her wet friend who continued to glare at her.

"You're talking such shit," Lucy hissed with a flat look.

"I ain't! Anne is reading your mind from the other room and feeding it to me… it's like a wireless connection you don't get to join in on…so…when were you gunnu tell us!" Carol drummed her fingers against the banister while the small-framed Anne popped her head around the corner.

"Hi!" She smiled brightly.

"I so knew it!" She stated while Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I need vodka," She looked down with a sigh.

* * *

alrightly!

so who wants to know want Xavier and Gambit where talking about :D

ohhhh... the scandle!

What do you think is going on?

well you will find out soon coz the next chaper out will be fully GAMBIT

hope you look forward to diving into his mind and his master plans

!

untill i post it

see ya!

xxx


	14. Chapter 14

**hello all!**

**ok**

**now... this one might seem a little dark in some ways**

**being it Gambit's true intensions and reasoning behind helping Lucy**

**:O**

* * *

14: Truth or Dare

"I got what I came for," Gambit simply shrugged causing Lucy to fall back with a small falter in her step. Whether she was hurt or not by what he said was pointless, despite how heartless he sounded, he just didn't really care, he was interested in what she did and didn't want to be left thinking he couldn't have his queen of hearts back after loosing out on a game thanks to the woman.

He turned the restored card in his pocket, running his fingers along the paper-thin sides, looking ahead to where he was walking while thinking of his next destination, when his shoulder was shoved, his hand being pulled away from the card in his pocket.

"Good," Lucy chirped out in a rather cheery sounding tone, obviously thinking it was good her stalker had decided to leave her, and with a raised brow Gambit watched as she stormed off.

His lips pulled up lightly in a show of amusement as he stopped in front of a bar; looking away from where Lucy had sped off to and turned to take in the name of the bar he was outside before giving a careless shrug and deciding to step in.

Sitting right in the middle of the bar, grinning down into his drink as he noted the bar maid keeping a keen eye on him, he couldn't help but give a small shake of his head, he had after all just sat down in the near deserted place, he amazed himself with his charm some days.

Subconsciously his hand went to his pocket to search out his deck of cards while his free hand went to his drink, lifting it to his lips before he paused, a small frown tugging at his brows as he stroked a finger along a thick, plastic card.

Placing the drink back down to the bar he plucked the plastic card from his pocket and flipped it over, his brows instantly raising as he took in the woman on the card, giving a quick look around as he remembered taking it from her purse after lugging her unconscious form to the hotel room he was staying at.

With a shake of his head he slipped the card back into his pocket next to his deck of cards when a hand was placed on the bar next to him as the body of someone loomed over his sitting form and with a scowl Gambit's eyes shot to the hand, it was a male hand clutching a gun.

Flashing his eyes up darkly, he glared at the mirrored wall where various bottled drinks were hanging, his eyes flashing crimson as he recognised the reflection between the bottles.

Instantly he ripped his hand from his pocket, throwing his elbow up into the gunman's nose and pushing him back while he leapt from the bar stool, a card clutched between his fingers prepared for attack.

"I wouldn't if I where you," A different man spoke, while the razor edge of a blade was held in front of Gambit's neck, pausing his actions of throwing the dangerous card at the suited man.

"You," The long blade jabbed closer to Gambit as it was used to point at him.

"Are a hard man to track," The swordsman continued.

"Not hard enough," Gambit scowled.

"Well that's what Zero is good for," The man gave a shrug, dropping the blade from the gamblers neck as he nodded to the suited man, dabbing his nose into the white cuff of his shirt, staining it red.

"I ain' goin' back to dat island," Gambit growled, with one shake of his head.

"Easy, don't make a scene! We came with something different in mind," The swordsman cast a look around the almost empty bar while Gambit kept his guard up.

"Zero, take care of her," He frowned, giving a nod towards the barmaid who was hurrying with the phone, and with a frown the gunman complied.

"You see, we know about your new little mutant and the boss seems quite interested in what we had to tell him," The tall swordsman paced casually as he talked.

"But he has no interest in a late developed mutant who can't control their powers," At this he shrugged while Gambit's fierce red eyes followed his every move. The man still held his sword, so could strike at anytime.

"What good is dat information to me?" Gambit frowned.

"Well, we came for your ass but if you can train the girl to do something more impressive, we might reconsider," He continued in a patronising tone.

"Oh, and you might want to think fast because I sent hairy after her," the tall swordsman gave a shrug.

"You remember him, tall, bulky, smelled…put you threw a wall," A taunting grin turned up on his face.

"Come on, do the right thing and save your own ass," He ginned wider, and gritting his teeth hard Gambit turned and ran.

He flew out of the bar and burst off down the street, hoping to catch up with the woman.

Shockingly it didn't take too long to find her, having realised as soon as she was out of his sight she had ended up slowing down considerably, only managing a few streets extra away from him, each one leading to the nearest tube station, another hint on were she was.

He wasn't all too concerned to see her being threatened either, more surprised he had managed to get to her first, that was all soon replaced as the woman in question bolted down the street, jolting Gambit into a confused follow, chasing after her and only slowing once, to take in the crippled man screaming as he peeled a small blade from the scorched skin of his palm.

"Damnit Cher," Gambit groaned, looking away from the man he had made her con earlier and sprinted after her once again.

Spotting her using a wall for support he slowed somewhat, to a quick paced walk, stepping up next to her as if he was going to pass her by but gently took her by her upper arm and pulled her with him despite her harsh breathing. His shaded eyes flicked around in search, watching the area around, peering out harshly from under the hat as if he was expecting an army to come his way.

"…Gambit?" Lucy breathed, blinking up at the man as she stumbled into step next to him.

"Now Cher, what did I say?" He continued to look around before setting his sight forward.

"…I…I dunno…" She gave a small shrug, obviously confused and not in the right state of mind to actually think.

At this he turned to her, a small smirk lifting at one corner of his lips, wiping away the deadly serious look on his face.

"For you, its Remy," He finished of with a wink, hoping to hide his own troubles and put on a mask of normality so she wouldn't suspect anything majorly off with him.

He was however surprised to hear Lucy gave a light chuckle.

"Ok, sorry…Remy," She had managed an actual smile, a first since meeting him, and as small as it was it was still there, sparking interest in Gambit as he felt suddenly torn and lost over his objectives.

"How'd you find me… and why?" She questioned, turning to peer up at him.

"You never left my sight Belle," He stated simply, giving the lie out easily.

000

Rubbing his fingers over his eyes lids once again, Gambit thought over the night he had the misfortune of being cornered by two members of Team X, the same night he had given Lucy back her ID card and agreed to train her in hopes she would become more of an impressive mutant and take his place, saving him from going back to the Island.

He remembered every detail, but the most chest churning of thous details he could see so clearly, was her face when the all too memorable Victor, or Sabertooth he had turned a liking to the name, had come for her.

000

"What's wrong? Why are you going so fast?" She huffed, the growing confusion lacing her tone to sound worried and Gambit knew she was trying to figure out the situation by attempting to read his face, he simply pushed her down a back street where the walls were high and the few fire doors to bars and clubs stayed securely shut.

He rushed her up to the deepest set door and pushed her into the doorway, plucking the hat from his head and setting it on hers to keep her face shaded, he had already gathered the members of Team X had yet to find out anything about Lucy, including her name, address and what she looked like, so asking him to lure the young woman in was most likely their best bet.

"Stay here, keep your head down, don' let anyone see you, ok?" He nodded to her, almost cringing at her absolute petrified look, her brown eyes had grown large with fear, and not understanding the situation let alone what she was.

With a firm push Gambit moved him self out of the doorway and turned away from the look on her face, instead concentrating on the fight that was to come.

If there was one good thing to come of the night and that was the hopes he could put the bastard threw a wall too, a small pay back.

000

Frowning at the carpet under him, he forced the images away, he knew why he had agreed, he was selfish and only to happy to gamble another life for his own, what he didn't know was way he was suddenly so torn on what to do.

He was content with keeping barriers between Lucy and him self, despite her choppy personality and helpless looks, which often caused him to forget about the barriers he was supposed to be imposing.

She was almost immune to his charm and that was the main factor that made the barriers he was trying to keep, pop. He couldn't help but take on the challenge of making a pretty woman like him and every time she showed a total lack of interest he naturally wanted to change that.

But even after that he was able to keep to his selfish goal, as much as he wavered against the idea, it wasn't until earlier in the day that he became fully torn.

000

"You honestly think your doing her any good?" Charles looked up at the gambler with a scoff, causing him to clench his entire body with rage.

"I've seen your plans, you'll end up ruining the poor girl, at least she'll have a chance if she came with me," He threw Gambit a dirty look before continuing.

"If you have any respect or feelings for that young woman you would leave her now and not continue on with this ridiculous, selfish plan of yours," the bald man, spoke up with strength and protection.

Gambit wasn't entirely sure why he had started out so angry over hearing the man's offer of schooling Lucy's powers, it was a battle between having the woman he had almost become attached too, like a stray animal, being taken away or having his chance at freedom being taking from him.

"You ain' got no right to lecture my plans," Gambit finally growled.

"Really? Just like you have no right to decided the fate of Lucy's future!" Xavier scowled.

"You 'ave no idea what your messin' in," The gambler shook his head.

"You honestly think they will just let you go?" The bald man shook his head, frowning at Gambit's obviously over looked fact on Team X's intentions.

"Only one way to find out," Gambit gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Don't be ridiculous, use your common sense," Charles scoffed.

"I hope you don't continue with this selfish act, because if you do this, she will end up dead," Xavier scowled; his look and words causing a stab in Gambit's chest.

"Do the right thing and get her to my school," The bald man then pushed a card towards Gambit.

000

Pushing himself up into a stand Gambit gave a sigh as he mulled over his options, Dare he hand Lucy over and have her life taken or should he be True to her and give her a whole new lease of life.

If he let her die, he would live.

If he let her live, he would die.

He had one plan and depending on the final outcome of what happens while executing his plan, would determine his final decision.

His plans where all in his head and the evidence of them where on paper, he knew what he had to do, he just didn't know the ending.

* * *

**awww**

**where has the nice, fun Gambit gone!**

**who knew this was actually what was going on**

**...well me... but still**

**...so... Gambit has been a bit of selfish meanie...**

**...but...**

**...will he stay that?**

**...we shall find out when he puts his be all, end all, deside all, plan into action**

**:O**


	15. Chapter 15

**Ello there!**

**long time eh!**

**he he soz!**

**so here we find out what gambit has planned!**

**:O**

* * *

15: If You Had The Chance?

"He's a twat! He says he's gunnu help me, for some stupid ass reason he won't even say! Then, he totally goes of on one, or he pisses me off to the point I want nothing to do with him!" Lucy threw her arms around in her rant, the alcoholic beverage in her hand sloshing all down her arm.

"You… should just…kick him in the balls!" Anne slurred slightly as she thought of something good and helpful to say before taking a swig of her drink.

"I think we should deal with the problem at hand… lets bump him off!" Carol pointed towards Lucy with her index finger and middle finger, a cigarette clenched between them.

"Like… kill him?" Lucy shot her shorthaired friend an unimpressed drunken look, a scraggly wave of hair falling from behind her ear.

She had managed to strip all her wet clothes off and pull on a clean pair of knickers and an over sized, long sleeve shirt that was stretched over her hands while the neck line was wide and slipped down over one shoulder, the pale grey, stripped top just about covering her bum.

Within the few hours she had gotten home her hair had eventually dried into messy waves as she sat with her two housemates, drinking vodka and talking about the new pain in her life.

The three of them had thrown every cushion from the chairs and sofa onto the floor around the coffee table and where now sat around the low table with half a bottle of vodka in front of them and two empty wine bottles.

"Yer…kill him," Carol confirmed rather darkly while Anne giggled and Lucy groaned.

"Wake me when it's over!" Lucy finally huffed and flopped to the side on the pile of cushions, knowing she couldn't be asked to make it to her room and the other two where never in their lives going to carry her, so she accepted her sleeping quarters for the night and went with it.

000

With his hand dug into his pockets, the shaded man finally lifted his head as he searched the back of the house, spotting the window of a bedroom on the second floor was slightly ajar.

"Again?" A brow rose on his face before he gave a shake of his head, the room was right above a conservatory making it easy to access.

"You make it too easy Cher," He sighed, heading towards the garden wall and starting on the simple climb.

Once on the wall it was a non-too difficult step up to the roofing of the conservatory and a careful walk across the slippery surface to the window.

The window was easy to slip of the latch and the gambler was soon quietly slipping into the room.

Once he had fought his way out of the sheer net curtains surrounding the window he gave the room a quick scan and frowned as he found it empty, completely barren of life. With slow steps he came to the door of the bedroom and slowly pulled it open, peeking down the hall before the door was fully open and then stepped out, casting a quick look to the other two rooms of the house before turning to take a peek down the stairs where a small amount of light glowed at the bottom.

His steps down to the lower level were still slow and controlled, taking every precaution to stay stealthy, unsure of what a house of three mutant women could possibly unleash.

When Gambit finally reached the front room all caution was thrown into the wind as he stepped in with out a care, his brows raising to the messy haired brunette he could just see sprawled out on the other side of a small coffee table.

He took in the bottles of alcohol with little interest before passing a short haired woman knocked out of a cushion-less arm chair and stepping over a small blonde curled up on the floor.

When he reached Lucy the look of boredom was wiped from his face with the sudden surprise at her lack of clothing, she was on her back with one arm stretched above her head and other resting on her stomach, while her bare legs laid stretched out, he felt almost embarrassed as he caught himself staring and looked away, glancing at the other two women as if they where suddenly going to be awake and frowning at him in disapproval.

"Cher?" He leaned awkwardly over her, a few droplets of water falling from his coat and dabbling on her bare legs, instantly causing a frown to crease her brow as she gave a mumbled groan of complaint before rolling towards the coffee table and onto her side. Her arm was dragged from above her head in the turn and as she brought it to her side she ended up punching the small table instead, her knuckles giving a bang against the wood before her hand dropped to the floor and another frown pulled at her brows.

With a less than impressed look Gambit looked away from Lucy to check the other two hadn't been woken by the drunken woman's assault on the coffee table but once seeing both with their eyes tightly shut and mouths wide open, snoring loudly and drooling contently, he sussed nothing was going to wake them.

"Guess I'm carryin' you again," He huffed lightly, giving a small shrug.

"But if I do drop you this time… it ain' my fault," the gambler warned the sleeping woman before dipping down and wondering how he was going to lift her from her cramped space between the coffee table and sofa, he had no room to get at her side so he could simply slip an arm under her legs and around her shoulders so he opted for a less graceful looking lift.

With a roll of his eyes he reached forwards and gently took her wrist, carefully pulling her into a sit but due to her curled up position on her side she had moved into it only caused her head to drop forwards the moment she was pulled up and tip towards the coffee table resulting in a bang as her head met it.

With a hissed curse Gambit quickly set her back down and turned her to lie on her back.

"Easy Gambit, you don' wanna knock away what our lil' Chéri has learnt," He scolded himself quietly with a shake of his head before this time gently taking both her wrist and successfully pulling her into a strait sit, despite her head lolling back.

From her unconscious sit he then, pulled her into a fireman's lift, shovelling her over his shoulder, one arm wrapped over her legs which quickly reminded him of their total bareness and oddly cold temperature, but then again, he guessed his legs wouldn't be feeling too warm after getting soaking wet then laying sprawled out on the floor with nothing on them.

000

With a groan Lucy lifted a hand to her throbbing head as it woke her from her sleep, her eyes remained closed as she frowned lightly at the sharp pain that pulsed in her skull.

When she dropped her hand from her head and allowed her lids to raise all she found all she could do was gape at the pillow, half her face was pressed into as her head began to pound so much worse.

"What did I drink!" She then grumbled in confusion as she over looked the fact she was magically back in her room.

"Wasn' what you drank Cher," An accented voice chirped up causing a jolt of freight from Lucy which shook the bed slightly before she lifted her head and frowned at the boots on her bed, they where crossed at the ankles and following the legs along, she found the torso of the all too, annoyingly familiar mutant.

He was sat at the bottom of her bed, resting his back against the white, bar framework while reading a magazine with very little interest as his legs nearly sprawled the length of her bed.

"What are you doing here!" She instantly frowned, swivelling into a slow sit and crossing her legs under the covers, trying to sound more furious but failing in her dizzy state.

"I came to make things right," He stated, tossing the magazine to the side carelessly, causing Lucy's eyes to follow it with another frown at his littering of her room.

"For some reason…" She started, pulling her eyes away from the discarded magazine and to his booted feet on her bed.

"I don't believe you," She then gave his feet and rough shove, pushing them off her bed and forcing Gambit to sit up properly as his legs swung off the bed.

"No shoes on my bed," She then stated simply at the look she received from the once comfortably sat gambler.

With a roll of his eyes Gambit stood and took a few steps till he was at the end of the bed before he leaned forwards and gripped the framework at the foot of the bed.

"Jus' listen and don' interrupt!" He ordered with a small frown and instantly Lucy's brows rose.

"Ok…" She mumbled quietly.

"You wan' help wit de powers, right?" He questioned to which she nodded dumbly too.

"So, best choice for you Cher, is to go to dat lil' institute," He gave a one shouldered shrug while Lucy's nose scrunched lightly as she instantly assumed he was trying to trick or con her.

"…_Really_," She dragged out suspiciously to which Gambit gave an eye roll.

"Der is still an issue wit getting' you to de place, you 'ave savin's no?" His brows rose expectantly.

"Not really, no! And there is no hope now seeing as I've probably lost my job thanks to your prank call," she huffed, motioning a hand towards him as she blamed her misfortune on him.

"Good thin' Gambit has a plan den," He gave a coy grin, instantly causing Lucy to switch on the suspicion once again.

Her curiosity was soon to tweak as he walked over to her set of draws and plucked a booklet from the top, completing the few steps back to the base of the bed and dropping the item onto the covers. Lucy eyed it yet said nothing, nor did she reach for it, she simply lifted her eyes to his in utter confusion and the moment he gave an encouraging nod she pulled it to her self and opened it up.

"I don't get it?" She mumbled after a silence, staring at the boarding passes and cruise information in her hands.

"I won it, in a game, didn' think it would come in handy till now," he shrugged.

"I still don't get it!" She frowned.

"Two weeks on a casino cruise Cher, der is your money," He nodded to the paper.

"But I can't even gamble!" She frowned.

"And I can," The accented man nodded.

"So… how does this work? You stick us on the gambling boat and then you give me money to go to a mutant school?" Her brows shot up expectantly.

"Why do I get the feeling there is _so_ much more to all this?" She questioned.

"Cher, you help me an' I help you, is simple," He shrugged.

"I can help you practice more what you already know, perhaps get you better skills and if you help me at the tables when I need it, is a definite win," He explained.

"What do you benefit from it?" She mumbled blankly with a small frown.

"We split de winnings, simple as Cher, no strings, we can rake up enough money to settle me and send you off, plus you get extra practice at controlling your powers," He finished with a nod.

Looking back down at the papers in her hands once more, she slowly mulled over everything that was said. For what little she knew of the gambler his plan made sense and fitted him, sure he was more capable of going his self and possibly winning, but with her it would be a certain win, and at the price of getting a certain win, paying off the other half would be easy, that is if the other half wanted in on his game. Lucy wasn't the type of person that would dive head first into heists and cons to get money.

"What makes you think, I'll go along with this?" She frowned up at him.

"I know your scared, you want to go to de school, is your better option," He shrugged.

"Why, again are you doing this?" She narrowed her eyes in a suspicious gaze, instantly causing him to huff.

"Guaranteed win," he stated simply.

"Why does it _still _feel like your hiding something?" Lucy shook her head lightly.

"I mean! This is insane after all!" She held up the leaflet and papers to show what she was talking about before dropping them back on the bed, right in the spot Gambit had dropped them.

"I don't even smile to strangers, so what makes you thing I'm going to go on a cruise with one and cheat money off everyone!" her brows rose expectantly.

"If you 'ad de chance to get money and control your powers, would you take it?" He laid out simply.

"…It…doesn't feel right," She answered honestly.

"Cher, is not like I went outta' my way to do this," He shrugged.

"I won dem tickets, now I'm helpin' you so you can help me," He stated honestly, the utter truth behind his words.

"Now, de chance in der in front of you," He nodded.

"But…what will I say to my house mates?" Lucy gaped.

"Tell them your goin' to see your mother," Gambit shrugged, throwing out the excuse, to which Lucy scoffed and rolled her eyes, rubbing at the side of her neck as she thought.


End file.
